THE first new council houses built in Redditch since 1994 have been signed over to new tenants.

The keys to the 19 brand new properties which were built for affordable rent by Redditch Borough Council on Chalk Gardens in the Church Hill area of the town started to be handed over earlier this month.

The council's portfolio holder for housing, councillor Craig Warhurst, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the first-ever tenants into these new council houses, the first such homes in a generation.

"I’m sure these homes will make a real difference to the tenants and many more local families for years to come.”

The three bungalows, six two-bedroom homes and ten three-bedroom homes are the first built by the borough council itself since 1994.

The council rents out almost 5,700 council homes in Redditch, while other registered providers of social housing rent out around 2,000 more.

There are over 1,000 applications for social housing currently lodged on Redditch Homes, the local housing register.

Council leader, councillor Matt Dormer, added: “Making more quality affordable homes available to people in Redditch is a priority for this council.

"Council houses like these are a precious resource, in high demand and limited supply, and we will continue to actively search for opportunities to do more.”