New affordable homes are soon to open in Coventry after what was intended as a private development was bought by Mercian Housing Association.

Williamson Court in Earlsdon, a development of mainly two-bedroom homes, has been funded with a grant of just over £4 million from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) as part of an initiative designed to bring more properties into use.

Older people living in housing association accommodation, whose children may have moved away, will be invited to make the switch to the smaller properties to free up larger houses for young families.

"The scheme matches our criteria to support high quality, affordable homes to meet local needs, plus it has the added benefit of freeing up more family homes to make better use of the local housing stock," commented Simon Lett, Investment and Regeneration Manager for the HCA.

Sir Bob Kerslake, chief executive of the HCA, recently called for a "new form of civic leadership" to improve neighbourhoods and create thriving new communities.
Source: 05/08/09