Council land to be used for affordable housing

Colchester City Council is selling authority-owned land for the construction of 350 affordable homes

A council is selling land it owns for the building of affordable homes in a bid to tackle the local housing crisis.

Colchester City Council said it was "releasing key public land at Northern Gateway to deliver up to 350 much-needed affordable homes".

The greenfield plots have now gone on the market and homes will be available across a range of affordable tenures, including shared ownership and rent to buy schemes, the authority said.

A spokesman for the council said all land bids needed to include "100% affordable homes", adding, contractual arrangements would enforce the affordable homes quota.

The area proposed for the new homes is next to Colchester Park and Ride and has links to the city centre, hospital, railway station, University of Essex and the future garden community.

"This strategic move showcases the council's commitment to using its own land to make a real difference for residents facing housing challenges," the council said.

Colchester City Council added the residential land parcels were expected to attract "strong interest from affordable housing providers, with the council working to ensure that development can progress in tandem with essential infrastructure improvements".

Labour's Julie Young, portfolio holder for housing, said: "Too many families in Colchester are living in temporary accommodation or struggling to find a home that meets their needs.

"This is about using council-owned land to create homes that people can actually afford – homes that are close to jobs, schools, and transport links."

Liberal Democrat, Mark Cory, portfolio holder for resources and assets, added: "By releasing these plots, we're not only accelerating the delivery of affordable homes, but also ensuring that development aligns with our wider goals for sustainability, connectivity, and inclusive growth."

Colchester City Council is jointly led by Labour and the Liberal Democrats. The Conservative group leader and Greens have also been approached for comment.