ALMOST 30 homes will be built across the Forest in the next year to keep up with demand for affordable housing.

Two Rivers Housing, which is a not-for-profit housing association, plans to build 100 new homes per year over the next three years.

Plans for 29 properties have already been given the green light by the Forest of Dean District Council Planning Committee.

Nine two-bed houses and bungalows will be built at Parkend Road in Bream, four one-bed flats and two-bed houses in Gatwick Close/Stantway Lane in Westbury-on-Severn, and sixteen homes which includes a mixture of one-bedroom flats, two- bedroom houses and bungalows and three-bedroom houses will be built at The Wend in Longhope.

"This is a great news for people are looking for a good-quality home to rent or part-buy at a price they can afford and, for many, it gives them the chance to stay in an area where they have contacts and history," explained Kirsty Powell, head of development at Two Rivers Housing.

"There is high demand for affordable rental properties in the Forest and these 29 homes will go some way towards meeting that need."

Most of the homes will be available for affordable rent while some are earmarked for shared ownership. The part-rent, part-buy option – which allows people to take a step closer towards owning their home outright – and people with a local connection to Longhope and Westbury-on-Severn will be given priority during the bidding stage.