MORE than £3 million will be invested in new affordable homes in Gloucestershire, the government's national affordable homes agency the Housing Corporation announced this week.

This first allocation from the corporation's National Affordable Housing Programme for 2008 to 2011 will build around 219 new affordable homes across the county.

The money is part of the first wave of the corporation's three year programme, which will see a total of £8.4 billion invested in new affordable homes across England . Additional affordable homes investment will follow over the coming months.

Housing Minister Caroline Flint, said: "We need more homes in every region - to ensure first-time buyers and families have decent affordable housing to buy or to rent.

"This money will go towards doubling the amount of affordable, sustainable homes being built over the next three years, and will increase the number of family-size and rural homes."

Candy Atherton, Housing Corporation board member with special responsibility for the South West, said: "I am delighted that Gloucestershire has been given this new funding to help create the extra homes that are so greatly needed by local people.

"This investment will also help to build and support thriving local communities where people will want to live and work. I am particularly pleased that as well as creating more homes, we are ensuring they have higher green and design standards than ever, and that there is funding for more larger homes and for rural areas as well as homes in city and town centres."

The new homes will be a mix of affordable homes for rent or sale through low cost home ownership schemes designed for local people priced out of the private market.