PEOPLE who can't afford to buy a home are being given a chance under a scheme by Swindon Council.

Shared Ownership gives people the opportunity to part buy, part rent a house in partnership with a housing association. Typically a 50 per cent share in the new house or flat is bought and rent is paid to the housing association for the other 50 per cent.

This is cheaper than buying outright because the repayments and rent will be less than mortgage repayments. There have been 650 Shared Ownership Homes set up in Swindon in the past ten years.

This is to increase with the town centre regeneration and the Southern Development Area. The latter is expected to bring an additional 600 shared ownership homes to Swindon. There will be a further 312 built over the next three years.

For information call Rama Manro 01793 464 414 or go to www.swindon.gov.uk