A MAJOR housing association is bowing out of Dorset and Hampshire and transferring its homes to other companies.

Knightstone Housing Association, one of the largest independent providers of affordable housing in the South West, has announced major changes.

It intends to transfer the 1,460 homes it owns and manages in the two counties by April 2013.

Talks are being held with other housing associations with a view to having a “stock swap”.

Knightstone will focus its services in the West of England and Somerset.

By April 2013 Knightstone plans to close its six regional offices and operate out of purpose-built centralised headquarters in Weston-Super-Mare.

The future of its offices in Poole will depend on the needs of the housing association that takes over its properties.

At the moment the company owns and manages 11,000 homes across 37 local authorities.

Within three years it expects to be managing over 10,000 homes in nine authorities in the west of England.

Chief executive Nick Horne said: “These are bold changes that will transform what we do, how we do it and where we do it.

“The government changes to housing policy, rents, tenures and welfare benefits as well as the current economic climate, mean major challenges for us, for our residents and for our partners in the years ahead,” he said.

“We believe the best solution for our residents in Dorset and Hampshire is to receive services from a more local housing association which will be better placed to meet their and their communities changing needs.

“We are speaking to staff and to the residents that will be affected.

“We understand that change is never easy but we will be working hard to ensure a smooth transition when the time comes.”

He added: “By acting now and making these changes in a planned way over the next two years we will continue to build and sustain strong communities in those areas where we can make a real difference.”