More than 250 affordable homes are to be built across Braintree over the next five years.

The new strategy for investment into social housing follows a review of the Community Housing and Investment Partnership (CHIP) fund – an £11million fund established at the time of the council’s housing transfer to Greenfields Community Housing.

The fund, which is managed by a board of representatives from Braintree District Council and Greenfields, aims to improve facilities, housing and the local environment.

Following a review, the CHIP will see more emphasis on creating additional affordable housing with more than £7m set aside.

Lady Newton, cabinet member for planning and prosperity, said: “Since its creation the CHIP fund has aided a number of important community projects ranging from the new skate bowl in Braintree to improved lighting on the Templars Estate in Witham, and has provided over 40 grants for community organisation projects across the district.

“Following a review, the remaining £8.75m will now be more targeted, with £7.25m set aside to focus on much-needed additional affordable homes and the remaining £1.5m used for wider community projects.”

The cash will see 20 homes built this year and a further 240 over the next five years, while the remaining £1.5m will be spent on improving public areas and projects including training opportunities for adults, alleviating fuel poverty and tackling health inequalities.

Sandra Crosby, housing director at Greenfields, said: “We are so pleased that the fund has been such a success so far, as it has been used to improve communities and the lives of residents living within them.”