Work has started on a new scheme to build more homes in the Forest of Dean in a bid to tackle the housing crisis.

Seven new affordable homes in the village of Churcham will feature a mix of flats, houses and a bungalow.

They will be offered to people with a local connection to Churcham in the first instance, with the aim of helping the community to grow and prosper.

The building work has started and the properties are expected to be ready by the end of the year.

Councillors identified a need for low-cost rent homes in the village through their Housing Needs Assessment and worked with Two Rivers Housing to plan the scheme at the new Henry Hook Close, named after the village's famous 'son' who was awarded the Victoria Cross following the Battle of Rorke's Drift.

Five of the homes will be affordable rent, while the two three-bedroom houses will be Shared Ownership - the part-rent, part-buy option which helps people towards ultimately owning their home outright.

Kirsty Powell, head of development at Two Rivers Housing, said: "There is a desperate shortage of housing in Gloucestershire and we're doing what we can to provide more.

"Churcham is a very popular village and, thanks to the work carried out by the parish council, we are confident of the demand for these new homes which will suit single people, couples and families.

"It has been rewarding to work with a group of councillors who are so positive about the obvious need for new affordable homes in their area, and hope they will give a valuable boost to the community and its amenities."

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