BOROUGH of Poole is working to provide more than 170 new affordable homes for families.

The latest development to be completed is six new houses on Gascony Place, off Anjou Close in Bearwood.

Built in partnership with Stonewater, the development is due to welcome residents for the first time this month.

A further 169 affordable homes are also planned at five further sites across the borough.

These include 46 flats in Holes Bay Road, 27 flats at Arndale Court, in Wimborne Road, 19 flats in Langland Street in Poole town centre and 62 flats in Canford Heath Road.

Six of the Canford Heath Road properties will be specialist homes designed to provide independent living for disabled people

Construction is currently underway at all sites - with work expected to begin later this year on 14 houses in Chichester Walk, Merley.

Some of the new properties will be offered for shared ownership, giving residents the chance to buy a share of their home and pay rent on the remaining share, with others being affordable rented homes.

It is hoped that all the new homes will be ready to welcome families during 2018/19.

Cllr Karen Rampton, cabinet member for housing, said: “We are firmly committed to delivering more affordable housing in Poole - with almost 1,000 families on the housing register it is vital that we continue to make this a top priority.

"I am delighted to see us moving forward at pace with such a range of developments, all of which will provide homes for local families.”