An ambitious housing programme, which will see 750 homes built in Bungay over the next five years, has proved effective.

Waveney District Council has welcomed tenants into its new council housing development in Ecclestone Terrace.

The newly occupied development follows the recent completion of other council homes in the town. Affordable homes have been provided at Garden Close, Princes Road and Manor Road – the latter being the first new council homes to be constructed in Bungay since the 1970s.

The Ecclestone Terrace development was completed in a partnership between the council, E2 Consortium and Wellington Construction Ltd and was supported through funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

Chris Punt, Waveney’s cabinet member for housing, said: “Our ambitious council housing development programme aims to see 150 quality affordable homes built each year over the next five years.

“By developing council-owned land such as this site we can increase the amount of affordable housing and complement those in development elsewhere.”

The E2 Consortium is an organisation comprising of six housing associations which works jointly with other associations across East Anglia with the aim of building strong and sustainable communities.

Wendy Evans-Hendrick, of Orwell Housing Association, said: “We are pleased that another quality housing development has welcomed new tenants.

“We look forward to working with the council on its development programme providing much needed affordable new homes throughout the district.”

Further council housing developments are planned in Lowestoft, Southwold and Beccles, which the council believes reflects the wider growth agenda for Waveney and east Suffolk.

Working in partnership with Suffolk Coastal District Council, Waveney has recently published the first ever joint Housing Strategy for East Suffolk.

The strategy sets out the councils’ ambitions and priorities for housing services from 2017 to 2023. Feedback from residents, businesses and stakeholders is being welcomed.

Email comments to housing@eastsuffolk.gov.uk by Friday, September 29.

The full strategy can be found at www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/housing2023 .