WILTSHIRE Council will bid for a share of £3bn in government funding to build affordable houses. 

Last year, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced an £11.5bn affordable housing programme. 

The aim of the scheme is to deliver 119,000 homes half of which will be sold and tens of thousands to be rented out at a discounted rate. 

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This week, the minister set out details of the first £8.6bn of the cash. It was said that 90 organisations including housing associations and local authorities successfully bid for a share of the pot.

According to Wiltshire Council, it did not qualify for the first round of funding as its programme is not big enough. 

Cabinet member for housing, Phil Alford said: "The government announced last year that there would be £11bn of funding available to help deliver new affordable housing.  

“The £8bn announced over the weekend is part of this £11bn and has been allocated to 90 strategic partners who each must commit to deliver a minimum of 1,500 homes for the life of the programme.

“We do not qualify to be a strategic partner as our programme is not big enough, however we will be bidding for the £3bn that remains, as and when our projects require the funding."