HOUSING association LiveWest has pledged to build 1,500 affordable homes in Somerset over the next five years.

The association, who already has more than 7,500 homes in the county including 178 built over the past year, is looking to deliver 63 properties in Wellington.

LiveWest has teamed up with Classic Builders to build 26 homes for affordable rent and 16 for shared ownership in the Cornhill area of the town, with 21 further homes at Jurston Farm.

Elsewhere, 51 affordable homes will be completed in Comeytrowe, Taunton, 20 in Bishops Lydeard and 18 in Glastonbury.

LiveWest chief executive Paul Crawford said: “In addition to the challenges associated with Covid-19 over the last 24 months, this year has brought added cost of living, inflation and supply chain issues to our customers, colleagues and wider operating environment.

“Our absolute commitment remains to supporting our customers through the cost-of-living crisis and continuing to develop desperately-needed affordable homes in Somerset.

“The sector continues to see demand for affordable homes growing faster than supply and we are seeing over 75 applicants for every property that becomes available for rent, making our strategy to invest sustainably and deliver a long-term programme of new homes even more important.

“The greatest need in Somerset is for low cost rented housing which underpins our commitment to increase the supply of new housing with a focus on delivering affordable homes for rent.

“Behind our financial and development figures is the story of how LiveWest has put social purpose, the quality and safety of the homes we develop, health and safety, and the needs of our customers at the heart of everything we do.

“We are a not-for-profit organisation, so we use our surplus to reinvest in our homes and communities, and to build more affordable housing.

“We are also keeping up momentum with the investment in our existing properties having spent £74million in maintaining and improving homes for our current customers.

"These improvements include significant expenditure on building safety and energy efficiency.

“This will ensure that our homes remain great places to live, as well as protecting our investment for the future.

“Deepening our customer relationships is pivotal for LiveWest and are sustained efforts to meet our customers’ needs are highlighted with an 87 per cent satisfaction rate.”