Hundreds of new homes are to be built throughout the north-west, it has been revealed.

The news comes as the Vicinity Housing Group has received an £18.5 million grant from the Housing Corporation to build 429 new properties across Liverpool, Halton, Sefton, West Lancashire, Wirral and Knowsley.

In addition, the fund represents the largest allocation Vicinity has received to build affordable homes for rent and shared ownership.

Tony Dunne, director of investment for the Vicinity group, said: "We are delighted that our ongoing investment in neighbourhoods and commitment to improve the quality of lives in the communities where we work has received such significant support from the government."

Vicinity already owns and manages 25,000 homes across the north-west through its various housing association divisions including Ribble Valley Homes, Cobalt Housing, Atrium and the Liverpool Housing Trust.

Earlier this month, Richard Petty, a partner at property consultancy Drivers Jonas, claimed housing associations are taking advantage of the difficulties that the property sector is experiencing and are buying up sites for mixed-tenancy developments which may have previously been taken up by private property builders.

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