Ambitious plans to create more affordable homes in the borough are progressing, according to a key provider and council leaders.

Government figures from June suggest around 8.7 per cent of people who live in social housing are in overcrowded households while census data from 2011 suggest there are more than 5,000 overcrowded houses in Bolton alone.

It is also currently estimated that at least 1,500 households are at risk of homelessness in the town, according to Bolton at Home.

Bolton at Home, part of Bolton Community Homes Ltd which delivers affordable homes across the borough, is over halfway through plans to deliver 1,400 new homes in the period between 2018 and 2023 – an ambition first outlined in 2017.

Since the start of the period, they’ve completed 339 homes across 26 new build schemes, with construction currently underway on a further 261 homes.

These sites include Chorley Street (Bolton), Withins Drive (Breightmet), and Campbell Street (Farnworth), with these homes expected to be completed with the next six months.

Beyond this, 186 sites are due to start construction within the next six months including a 68-home site at Lever Gardens, Little Lever, and a 53-home site at Rivington Chase, in Horwich.

Jon Lord, our group chief executive officer, says: “The shortage of affordable housing is a national issue and we work alongside other social housing providers in Bolton and Greater Manchester to do what we can to meet local and regional demand.

“For thousands in Bolton, the housing crisis means that they can be at a greater risk of homelessness due to a lack of affordable housing options and many are living in overcrowded households that aren’t suitable or healthy for them.

“We need to provide more properties to give more people a warm, comfortable and sustainable home for them and their family to live in.

“New housing has to help people in a wide range of circumstances, which is why we’re developing a broad mix of new properties including homes for rent, some for shared ownership and supported housing.

“It’s about offering people a choice of good quality affordable homes in the areas where people need them most, and a range of property types from one-bedroom apartments to multi bedroom family homes."

Bolton at Home also work with housebuilders to get suitable properties through section 106 criteria, a legal agreement between an applicant seeking planning permission and the local planning authority, which is used to mitigate the impact of new homes on local community and infrastructure.

At least 177 s106 homes are expected to be on or in contract with Bolton at Home in the next six months.

New affordable housing developments are regularly submitted and approved by the council. One significant development recently approved was at the former Moor Lane bus station site.

Of the 208 homes approved for this site, 82 will be affordable, in partnership with Bolton at Home.

Mr Lord added: “Each development has a positive impact on the local economy and creates job opportunities in the local construction industry. At the same time, increasing the supply of homes for rent and shared ownership benefits our current tenants. It generates income that we can reinvest to improve our older properties, provide important community services and keep rent levels affordable.

“We’re happy to see new tenants moving in and we’re continuing to identify appropriate development sites and section 106 opportunities to keep progressing our development programme and help more people with housing needs. It will hopefully see a total of around 5,000 people living in a new and affordable home by 2023.”

Bolton at Home added that they are working on identifying appropriate sites for further new homes to meet local people’s needs.

Modern methods of construction are also being used, they said, such as the 22 modular homes built off site and installed by crane at Victory Road in Little Lever. Each new home is also built with sustainability in mind, delivering properties with high energy performance ratings and therefore more affordable for tenants to heat.

Once these developments are completed, all these new homes for rent are advertised through www.homesforbolton.org.uk.