The first Council housing development in Redbridge for more than three decades has been completed.

Nine families have been handed their keys to the new development on the site of the former Housing office in Manford Way, Hainault.

Eight flats and one three-bedroom home were developed on the site with council funding and a cash grant from the Mayor of London’s Housing Covenant initiative.

Councillor Ross Hatfull, cabinet member for housing said: “Council housing provides homes at affordable rents and I hope our new residents will be proud to live here.

“Creating more homes to meet the current demand is one of our key priorities for the future and we are working hard to increase the supply of housing and in particular to expand the opportunities for family homes.”

Deputy mayor for housing, land and property, Richard Blakeway added: “Boosting house building and delivering more affordable homes in Redbridge and across London is vitally important.

“I am very proud that we are helping to fund this development through the Mayor’s Housing Covenant, which is providing thousands of much-needed brand new homes for hardworking Londoners.”

Elsewhere in the borough, a Compulsory Purchase Order has also been completed to deliver 425 homes at Five Oaks Lane.

These new homes will include shared ownership properties which are desirable in Redbridge.

A further seven new affordable rented homes in Hainault are also nearing completion and the construction of another 18 homes has started in the Borough.