THE borough council has exceeded its affordable housing target by more than a third, providing a “vital” lifeline for residents looking for a home.

Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) announced this week that it had exceeded the target for the sixth year in a row.

The authority delivered 273 homes in 2019/20 against a council target to achieve 200, smashing its initial goal by 37 per cent.

It means that over the past four financial years, the authority has delivered more than 1,000 affordable homes in total.

Nationally, TVBC ranked 31st out of 326 local authorities for housing delivery in 2019. It has also exceeded its affordable housing delivery target by 20 per cent over the past six years.

Portfolio holder for housing and environmental health, councillor Phil Bundy, said: “Affordable housing is absolutely vital to help meet the needs of our local communities.

“Properties in Test Valley are not cheap, which is why we are really proud of our record of delivering affordable housing in the borough. There are few things more important in life than having access to a decent home.

“Ensuring we can continue to build on this success is key. Our corporate plan is focused on helping people to live well and reach their potential, which is why making sure our housing delivery, including those affordable homes, continues to be a priority. This is also reflected in the council’s forthcoming Housing Strategy 2020 to 2025.

“It is great to look back over the past four years to see that we have delivered more than 1,000 affordable homes for those who need them, and I look forward to us helping to deliver many more in the years to come.”