HOUSING Minister Caroline Flint has invited Kent County Council to develop its proposal to provide new social rented housing.

In an announcement today, as part of the Government’s new Housing for an Ageing Society Strategy, she also has given the green light to Kent to develop outline PFI proposals to deliver 182 units of extra care housing and eight units for sale.

The Minister for Housing said: “The strategy is about giving all older people a better choice. The vast majority of people want to stay independent in a suitable home as they get older, and this Housing PFI proposal will allow Kent County Council to develop first rate extra care homes for those who need them.

“Everyone should have the opportunity to live securely in a decent home and this proposal will assist those with extra needs to live more individual lives in a supportive environment.”

The announcement today follows the concluding second stage of a cost review into delivering new social rented housing, which has shown the building costs of PFI homes is comparable to schemes funded by the Social Housing Grant.

Cheshire County Council and Stoke on Trent City Council have also been invited to develop their proposals. The three schemes together will deliver nearly 800 extra care social rented homes, as well as around 400 more for shared ownership and sale.

The MP for Don Valley confirmed that the Department will work with the authorities during the development of these new schemes to take forward the next stage of the review examining other costs associated with PFI schemes.

This will be the first housing PFI scheme for Stoke, though Cheshire and Kent are already delivering new extra care facilities through the Housing PFI Programme, with schemes that were signed last October providing over 660 new homes.