Powys County Council has announced that J. Harper and Sons (Leominster) Ltd has been awarded the contract to build a new affordable housing development in Newtown.

The development will consist of 32 one-bedroom, highly energy efficient affordable flats on the site of the former Robert Owen House.

Part funded by the Welsh Government, the council will own and manage the new homes, which will be allocated to tenants through 'Homes in Powys' - the one-stop shop for all social housing in the county.

Cllr Matthew Dorrance, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys, expressed his satisfaction with the selection of J. Harper and Sons as the lead contractors for the housing development.

He said:

"I'm delighted that J. Harper and Sons has been appointed as the lead contractors to build this housing development.

"One of the priorities of the council is to tackle the housing emergency in the county and this can only be achieved by building high quality council housing. That is why we have committed almost £79m as part of an investment package to build more than 310 new council homes.

"Not only is this development in Newtown part of our ambitious house building plans, it is also an important project for this council to help tackle the housing emergency.

"This is an exciting development that will meet the needs of the local community and I look forward to working with J. Harper and Sons to deliver one of our important priorities."

Michael Harvey, Group Commercial Director of J. Harper and Sons, said:

"We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Powys County Council, who are investing to provide much need housing within the county.

"As a company, J. Harper and Sons are committed to helping combat the housing crisis through the construction of new energy efficient homes.

"We look forward to starting on site and delivering high quality homes to the local community."

The announcement of the new affordable housing development in Newtown has been met with enthusiasm by residents. As the project progresses, residents of Newtown can expect a boost in affordable housing options and an opportunity for improved living conditions.