A multi-million-pound project to build more affordable homes in north Norfolk will get off the ground this spring thanks to a major financial commitment from the district council and a housing trust.

Five new schemes, costing �4.85m, will start across the district in the next few months, providing 44 homes for low-cost rental or shared ownership, including two bungalows adapted for people who need to get around in a wheelchair.

The project has been made possible by a funding package put together by North Norfolk District Council, which has agreed a contribution of �2,278,000, and Victory Housing Trust, which will allocate �2,572,000 to the scheme.

In the largest job, 19 rental and five shared-ownership homes will be built in Holt Road, Fakenham. Eight homes will be built for rent at Field Dalling, seven homes for rent in Dereham Road, Hempton, four homes for rent, inclu-ding one wheelchair-user's bungalow, in Norwich Road, Horning, and another will go in Princess Court, Holt.

Victory, set up in 2006 as a charitable registered social landlord, now owns and manages more than 4,800 properties in the northern half of Norfolk, serving more than 10,000 residents. Over the past five years it has built 216 affordable homes, with a further 33 due to be handed over later this spring at Holt.

The trust recently committed to taking that figure to 500 by 2015 as part of its Victory Charter set of promises.

Chief executive John Archibald said: 'We keep reading about how funding for new affordable homes is being squeezed, so it is particularly pleasing to be able to announce the start of so many new homes all in one go.

'We have worked hard with North Norfolk District Council to make this happen because both organisations are aware of the pressing need for more affordable housing in the area, and we are both committed to doing everything we can to make that happen.'

Penny Bevan Jones, council cabinet member for housing, said: 'Increasing the number of affordable homes is a key priority for the council, and these schemes will provide homes for local people and, importantly at this time, support jobs in the construction sector.'

More details can be found at www.victoryhousing.co.uk