PLANS to add 62 new homes to the Partnership Housing Group's development programme have been welcomed by the association's bosses.

The properties will include newly built homes, shared ownership houses and ex-council properties on Partnership-owned Elgar Housing Association estates.

Elgar is set to build 100 properties during this financial year. It already owns more than 5,000 homes in the area.

"We're delighted with the support we have received from Malvern Hills District Council, which has allocated around £1.5m to increasing the number of homes we can offer to tenants at affordable rents," said Richard Grounds, Partnership's commercial director.

"With many tenants still having the right to buy their home if they wish to do so, the number of homes we have to offer tends to level out as we add new homes and then see existing properties purchased.

"Having more than 100 properties in the pipeline will help us to meet the need for affordable housing in the area.

"This allocation highlights the confidence the local authority has in our ability to provide quality housing at reasonable rents."