GOOD quality, affordable homes of the right size and in a suitable location, should be available to all households in the district.

GOOD quality, affordable homes of the right size and in a suitable location, should be available to all households in the district.

East Devon District Council's executive board backed this vision, on Wednesday, outlined by the council's housing strategy 2008-2011.

Providing more affordable housing and improving tenants' homes and services are two of the main aims highlighted in the strategy, which looks at the key challenges EDDC and its partner agencies will face over the next three years.

The strategy assesses the local housing market and housing needs and the condition of EDDC's housing stock, presenting a series of priorities and actions for the future.

This includes delivering at least 200 affordable homes across the district from 2008-2011, with hopes of delivering up to 300 a year from 2011 to 2015.

Councillor Jill Elson, EDDC's portfolio holder communities, said: "We are continuing to work closely with our development partners, housing associations and land-owners to try and provide these much needed affordable homes.

"For the first time in many years, the council will be building property for its own stock, with two purpose-built bungalows for disabled use, located in Sidmouth.

"The housing service is working closely with a number of developers and we anticipate three rural housing developments that are currently being progressed will provide approximately 47 new affordable homes over the next two to three years."

EDDC is landlord of 4,298 tenanted properties, 176 leasehold flats and 761 garages and in 2007/8 spent £4.5 million on work to tenants' homes.

Similar amounts will be spent in the next two financial years. In addition, £1.1 million will be spent each year on response repairs which, in 2007/08, numbered almost 10,000.