HOUSEBUILDER Coast & Country has set up its own subsidiary development programme and is set to begin work on its first project, which will see it build 300 new homes in North Yorkshire.

The Teesside-based social housing provider has launched Coast & Country Developments as a way of growing the business by building its own properties in a variety of prime locations.

The Redcar-based firm was formed when it took over the ownership and management of the housing stock and ancillary housing assets from Redcar and Cleveland Council in 2002, and now owns around 10,300 properties in the Redcar and Cleveland area.

However, it is now keen to spread its net wider and is already planning to begin work on 300 new homes in Filey, North Yorkshire, under the Coast & Country Developments, which represents an investment of £45m.

The project will see the development of two, three and four-bedroom homes at the Mill Meadows site in Muston Road, where ground works will start later this year.

The affordable housing element will comprise of 60 homes for rent and 60 for shared ownership, with the remaining 180 homes being available for open market sale.