MORE than 100 people in the Malvern Hills area are to benefit from affordable housing schemes over the next 11 months.

A £1.98 million Housing Corporation grant has been given to Elgar Housing Association to develop projects in Malvern, Kempsey, Martley and Ledbury this financial year.

"The new allocation puts the group in the top six of developing housing associations in the West Midlands region," said Richard Grounds, commercial director of Festival Housing, which owns Elgar.

The association will also apply for further funding for Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership (DIYSO) schemes next month. It hopes to get enough to fund 10 to 15 of the schemes, which provide grants to homebuyers that are then paid back gradually.