Lyn Brown MP has welcomed over £11million new funding from the Government to build 70 new homes in Newham.  10 of these will be built on London Road in Plaistow and the remaining 60 will be built at other sites around the Borough.   This announcement is part of a £500 million package to build 8,000 affordable homes across the country. 

This announcement follows £42.1 million funding for new affordable homes in Newham between July and September 2009 alone and a further £1.2 million in January 2010.

Since June 2009, the Government has approved £3.5billion funding for nearly 60,000 new homes nationwide.   This is the largest council house building program for a generation.  Over 3,000 of these new homes are expected to be available through the government's HomeBuy schemes for first time buyers.   Nearly 5,000 of these homes will be available for affordable rent through housing associations.

This funding has also been used to help developers to kick start stalled projects and provide apprenticeships and employment for thousands of construction workers.  Those who benefit from this funding are required to offer local job and apprenticeship opportunities.

Lyn Brown MP said;

“I am delighted to welcome more funding from the Government to build the affordable housing that we so desperately need in Newham.  We have the longest waiting list in London for housing and Government funding is helping us to tackle it.

This Government is taking decisive action during the downturn to sustain the construction industry, support quality apprenticeships and build the homes that we need.  It is vital that this support continues as the economy recovers.

Labour is working hard to deliver the new homes that we need whilst the Tories campaign against affordable housing provision.  The Government continues to invest in building new homes whilst Tory plans would have cut £800 million from the house building budget.   Independent experts say that Tory plans could lose up to 64,000 new affordable homes over 3 years.  This is a change we cannot afford.”