MORE than 250 affordable homes have been built in Denbighshire since 2017, as the council reaches its corporate plan house-building target.

Denbighshire County Council (DCC) committed to build 260 homes as part of its Corporate Plan Housing priority from 2017 and 2022, with a total of 394 homes delivered to date in the county.

The council has also pledged to support the development of 1,000 new homes in Denbighshire between 2017 and 2022, including affordable homes and 170 as council houses.

It is hoped the affordable homes will help to provide opportunities for young people and first-time buyers to get onto the housing ladder.

The affordable homes have been built by private developers and in partnership with registered social landlords under the council’s Social Housing Grant programme.

Cllr Tony Thomas, DCC cabinet member for housing and communities, said: “Housing is a priority for the Council and we recognise there is an important need to make sure housing is available to suit the needs of Denbighshire residents.

“Reaching and exceeding this target early is a fantastic achievement for all those involved and really benefits residents here in Denbighshire. I would like to thank everyone for their hard work in reaching this goal.

“We will be continuing to build on this success and create even more homes. Providing more affordable homes in our communities is part of our ongoing work to ensure we can retain more young people in Denbighshire.”

The council sets the priorities for affordable housing in accordance with its Corporate Plan, Housing and Homelessness Strategy and social housing waiting list.

Between April 2020 and March 2021, 174 additional affordable homes were delivered in the county.

Affordable housing is a mix of social housing, intermediate rental, and home ownership through shared equity and rent to own options.

The properties created are spread across the county and include a mix of traditional new build, modern methods of construction and refurbishing existing dwellings.

Further developments of more than 200 affordable homes due to be completed include a 74-dwelling care facility in Denbigh, due to be completed in the autumn, and 44 homes of mixed tenure in Meliden, due to be completed December.

Another 18 social houses are being developed in Rhyl by the start of 2022, while 63 affordable homes will be built in Ruthin by spring 2023.

Denbighshire Housing is also developing sites at Caradoc Road in Prestatyn and Tan Y Sgybor in Denbigh, which will bring forward 26 social rent homes in 2022.