John Healey MP, Minister for Housing and Planning, was in Bristol yesterday to visit the first phase of a major housing development.

The £20 million development off Whitehall Road, Speedwell, is a mixed one including 151 properties: 32 council social rented houses and bungalows, (part of the pre-fab replacement scheme); 51 social rented and intermediate rented houses and apartments and 68 houses and apartments for sale.

The project is a joint development between Bristol City Council; Bovis Homes; Sovereign South and West and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), the national housing and regeneration agency.

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The Mallard Close part of the first phase, which was visited by the Minister, consists of 51 homes. It has been funded by a £3,617,000 grant from the Homes and Communities Agency; £558,000 from Bristol City Council and £4,273,732 through Sovereign South and West’s private finance and reserves.

The other sites in the first phase include Snowberry Walk (14 houses and apartments); Tarnock Avenue (39 houses and apartments) and Blackwarth Road (21 apartments). The total funding for all four parts of the first phase is £8.35 million from the HCA; £0.81 million from Bristol City Council and £0.93 million from Sovereign.

Councillor Mark Wright, Cabinet Member for Housing and Service Improvement, said: "This major scheme, which will deliver 83 much-needed units of social housing, is an excellent example of partnership working.

"Meeting the demand for housing is one of the most important challenges the city faces and the authority is taking an innovative, multi-pronged approach. I welcome the funding which has been made available to date - we will need to work with the government to enable us to deliver the rest of the programme."

(CD/KMcA)