A number of families are moving into their own home for Christmas after Wiltshire Council picked up the keys to affordable homes.

Wiltshire Council has bought three ex-council houses in Salisbury and Mere, while a fourth ex-council house in Salisbury is to complete in January as the council purchased them from the market.

Once purchased, Wiltshire council owns and manages the homes and refurbishes them to ensure they meet the high standards of the existing housing stock. Families have now moved into three of these homes after they were offered for social rent, advertised and allocated via Homes4Wiltshire.

Councillor Richard Clewer, Cabinet Member for Housing said: ‘People need somewhere affordable to live and across Wiltshire we are purchasing these homes so we can increase the number of choices available to people. The homes are part of a wider programme of council housing, which will see an additional 1,000 council homes across Wiltshire over the next ten years.’

The repurchases are supported by the councils retained Right to Buy receipts and Commuted Sums that are allocated to provide additional affordable housing in the county. The homes are bought at market price to help Wiltshire Council boost the options for social rent and help settle more people in need of a permanent home.

People wishing to discuss the possible purchase of their ex-council house can contact Andrew Mead, AndrewM.Mead@Wiltshire.gov.uk.