Redditch Borough Council is to build new council houses for the first time in 27 years.

Work to build 19 new homes for affordable rent on Edgeworth Close in Church Hill, Redditch, is now set to begin this summer.

Planning permission was approved for the homes in July and the council has now selected J Harper and Sons to build them after a competitive procurement process.

The three bungalows, six two-bedroom homes and ten three-bedroom homes will be the first built by the borough council itself since bungalows on Eathorpe Close and Sedgeley Close in 1994.

Redditch Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing, Cllr Craig Warhurst, said: “This is proactive action from the Council to help meet the need for more affordable housing in Redditch, which is very badly needed.

“Bungalows are especially in need, and in demand, for those elderly or disabled people who are in a house that’s too large for their needs. And of course there is a knock on effect when a larger property vacated by a person moving into a bungalow or more suitable accommodation becomes available for another family. The benefits of this new social housing development will ripple out across the community.”

Simon Deakin, Construction Director for J. Harper and Sons Limited said: “We are delighted to be working with Redditch Borough Council to bring much needed affordable housing to the area. We look forward to working collaboratively together on this project.”

The borough council rents out just under 5,800 council homes in Redditch, and other registered providers rent out around 2,000 more. Over 1,500 applications for social housing in the borough are currently lodged on the local housing register.

Council Leader, Cllr Matt Dormer, said: “This is the first build but it won’t be the last. Council houses are a precious, limited resource in high demand, and we continue to actively search for places the Council can build more, to increase our local stock and house more local residents.”