A LEADING affordable homes partnership in the eastern region is celebrating the award of funding which will lead to the construction of 1,000 new homes.

Besides providing a mix of family homes and apartments at affordable rents, including some shared ownership homes, the investment will also deliver a major jobs boost within the construction sector in the years up to 2015.

Bury St Edmunds-based affordable homes development company Iceni Homes announced the �123million programme at a “1,000 Homes Event”, held at Hengrave Hall, near Bury, for guests including local authorities, developers, consultants, tenants and representatives from partner organisations.

Each of Iceni’s three affordable housing partners, the Colne Housing Society, based in Colchester, the Suffolk Housing Society, based in in Bury, and the Hundred Houses Society, based in Cambridge, will increase their stock of affordable homes by between 15% and 20% as a result of the investment.

It has been made possible as a result of the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and partner local authorities contributing a total of �21million.

Mike Goodson, Iceni’s managing director, said: “We will now be able to build as least as many homes in this next four year programme as we have done in the previous four year programme which, in the present economic climate, represents an exceptional achievement.

“Our partners’ investment in new affordable homes will also help to protect jobs in the east of England’s building and construction sectors and will hopefully assist in creating that much-needed new growth in the region through to 2015.”