800 new homes to be built in West Sussex

VIVID, one of the largest housing associations in the south of England, has secured significant land and development opportunities to deliver around 800 new homes in West Sussex. These homes will be delivered in Chichester, Arun, Horsham and Worthing in a range of tenure types to help address the shortage of affordable homes in the county.  

The organisation, which owns 32,000 homes across Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey, announced its expansion into West Sussex late 2019, to help address the need for more affordable homes in the region. House prices in the county have continued to rise meaning many local families and first-time buyers struggle to get on the property ladder, or are forced to live in high priced, and sometimes, substandard rental properties.  

VIVID has built its considerable pipeline of new homes by working closely with landowners, developers and local authority partners to identify the area’s most in need of affordable housing and has used its financial strength to secure opportunities that will make a positive difference to the local community.  

VIVID focuses its approach on delivering the right type of homes tailored to local plans that meet the needs and aspirations of the people in the area. The new homes will be available for a mix of tenure types including social rent, affordable rent, shared ownership and private sale. As one of the largest of Homes England Strategic Partners, VIVID will use its grant to increase the number of affordable homes for rent and shared ownership it delivers in areas that need them the most.  

Mike Shepherd, Group Development and New Business Director said, “We believe everyone should have access to an affordable, safe and good quality home – it’s the foundation for improving wellbeing and life chances. We’re operating in an environment where the need for homes is as great as it’s been for a generation, and house prices in our region, particularly in West Sussex, are notoriously high. That's why we’re focused on making a large contribution to help address the short housing supply in the area and deliver the right type of homes where they’re needed the most.  

“We’re really pleased with what we’ve already achieved in West Sussex and look forward to working with our partners and local communities to deliver places and homes people will be proud of.”