The Government has announced 15 councils have secured £60m of finance to help build more than 1,000 new affordable homes.
It has now launched the second round of its housing revenue account borrowing programme with £240m available to local authorities over the next two years.
The 15 include Birmingham Council, which has borrowed £10.6m to build 186 homes, and Cheshire West and Chester Council, which secured £7.5m for 230 new homes.
Housing minister Kris Hopkins said: ‘Councils asked for extra borrowing powers – and we have delivered.’
He added: ‘Council housebuilding starts are now at a 23-year high – and more council housing has been built since 2010 than in the previous 13 years. But we can go further and with these new borrowing powers available I want authorities to act, and build the affordable homes their communities want.’
