PLANS to build 450 properties in Torfaen will help to address aspects of the housing crisis in the borough, according to the boss of Bron Afon Community Housing.

Alan Brunt, the chief executive of the Cwmbran-based social landlord, said that more than a fifth of the proposed homes were already on site at eight locations across Torfaen.

The housing association owns 8,000 properties in Torfaen and the new quota will help provide an array of accommodation to the borough public.

"We plan to build around 450 new homes over the next four or five years," said Mr Brunt, , who became the chief executive of Bron Afon nine months ago.

"Getting the community buy in to building homes is important because there is a housing crisis.

"Welsh Government has a strong commitment to helping meet that housing crisis and we will be playing out part in addressing that, hence the ambition to build 450 new homes."

The eight projects which are currently underway are: Mount Road, St Cadocs; Blenheim Road; Elmhurst Close, Trevethin; the former Pontymoile school site; Market House, Pontypool; Henry Hughes House, Pontypool; the former Llantarnam Primary school - including a Section106 with Lovells - site and Coed Cae, Pontnewydd.

We’ve got off to a flying start," said Mr Brunt.

"We’ve been working on plans for many potential sites for a while now. Currently eight projects are on site and that amounts to 95 new homes.

"These range from one and two bedroom flats to two and three bedroom houses and they are at various stage of construction.”

Mr Brunt added that developing homes in Torfaen did present challenges, not only the geography but other factors, but said that the housing association was prepared to face those head on.

"We’ve got to get community buy in to that because while people might recognise there is a housing crisis, when it comes to building homes near to them, we often get the response – we know there’s a need but we don’t think you should building them next to us," said the chief executive.

"That is a challenge in some parts of the locality.

"We’ve got good relations with the local authority and we’ve got funding through Welsh Government and through borrowings, we’ve got the ability within the organisation to be set up to deliver those homes."