Colchester Council bosses are set to approve plans to accelerate the delivery of more than 380 new homes, including more than 100 affordable properties.

Colchester Council’s cabinet are being asked to authorise the transfer of four pieces of land over to Colchester Amphora Homes Ltd, the authority’s newly-created housing development company.

If approved, the move marks the next step in the delivery of the 384 homes, of which 30 per cent, or 116, will be affordable.

The sites for development are in Creffield Road, Military Road, the home of Colchester Rugby Club in Mill Road and the St Runwald Street Car Park behind Colchester Town Hall.

If all goes to plan, the transfers should be completed by the end of next year, with work beginning at the first development in spring 2019.

A report states: “The council has, in bringing forward its own sites for development, decided to make a positive and proactive contribution to alleviate the pressures between the demand for housing and the supply.

“It has chosen to lead by example in meeting specific community needs around affordable housing, by providing 30 per cent on each site, and taken commercial opportunities to provide a revenue income to the council at the same time.

“The decisions recommended in this report will allow the commencement of development to take place from early 2019, and provide a solution to deliver over 300 new homes, including approximately 116 affordable homes.”

Nine next steps will be proposed for cabinet approval, including the signing over of the land and an updated funding strategy - the details of which are confidential.

Colchester Council believes developing the new estates in house will allow them to take more control and create more low-cost rental homes for residents.

The report continues: “Over the last five years, conventional methods of delivering affordable homes eg via section 106 agreements, have been unable to provide affordable homes to meet the demand required in our communities.

“Whilst Colchester has performed comparatively well in securing affordable homes from private developments, delivery has still not kept pace with the increasing needs.”

Over the past five years, the council’s figures show an average of just 15 per cent of homes built in the borough were classified as affordable.

All of the affordable homes across the four developments are set to be rented to tenants, whilst the rest will be sold on the open market.

The Cabinet will discuss the proposals at its meeting tomorrow.