THE borough will pick up more than £2.5 million for building new homes under the government’s New Homes Bonus.

The cash will come in over the next financial year as a reward for expanding Warrington’s housing stock by match-funding the additional council tax brought in by a new home for up to six years.

Councils also receive additional flat sums for increasing the number of affordable homes and for bringing previously empty properties back onto the market.

The £2.58 million figure puts Warrington just inside the top 20 per cent of local authorities and represents an increase of around £850,000 on the current financial year.

Warrington South MP David Mowat said: “We desperately need more homes, particularly affordable homes. Councils need to play their part in this and so it is important that, when new homes are built, the community is able to benefit from that.

“Rather than imposing top-down targets and regional spatial strategies, the Government is putting its faith in councils to deliver the homes Britain needs.”