The 10-year Joint Working Agreement will focus on prioritising the delivery of sustainable, high quality housing, including affordable housing, and identifying new opportunities in communities across the country; through;

• making the best use of land to increase the supply of housing and accelerate delivery
• creating sustainable communities through quality development and place making
• providing affordable housing in places where people want to work and live
• contributing towards housing delivery at national, regional and local levels

It is estimated the agreement will help deliver more than 10,000 homes across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Norfolk; with up to five thousand more in Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Lincolnshire, Dorset and Leicestershire.

Sir Bob Kerslake, chief executive of the HCA, said: “Partnership working is key to the way the HCA operates, as is a willingness to joint venture, and this work will complement, and build upon, what we are already doing in communities in these regions. Working together allows us to explore more options for innovation and new models for development which is why this agreement is so important.

“It is through valuable partnerships like this one, making imaginative use of our land assets, and a continuing search for value for money, innovation and excellence that we can each continue to fulfil our public duty and live up to our core values.”