ALMOST 150 new properties in the Forest were designated as affordable housing to help meet the needs of local residents last year.
And the district council says there are more "promising developments on the way" for 2022, which will help ensure residents have access to the housing they need and can afford.
Councillor Claire Vaughan, who is the cabinet member responsible for housing, says the new developments have not only provided local people with housing options that suit their circumstances, but have also allowed some residents to take their "first steps" on the property ladder.
"Last year was really promising for us", Cllr Vaughan said.
"One of our key priorities as your District Council is to help provide our residents with housing that suits their needs at prices they can afford, and it is great to be able to look back and see that 86 new affordable rent properties were made available in 2021, along with more than 60 shared ownership homes that can help people make their first steps on to the property ladder.
"Looking ahead to this year, there are more promising developments on the way that will help ensure our residents have access to the housing options that they need and that they can afford."
Some of the new developments, such as Tufthorn Avenue in Coleford and Southend Nurseries in Newent, have involved the "regeneration" of disused brownfield sites, which is another key priority for the council.
The Tufthorn Avenue development is set to provide 45 properties for affordable rent and 19 for shared ownership, while Southend Nursaries, which has been built on the site of a former garden nursery, will provide 36 affordable rent properties.
Last year also saw the development of Forest of Dean’s first factory-built modular housing scheme, with 57 pre-built homes having been transported from North Yorkshire to the site of the Mannings Farm development in Drybrook.
The scheme was supported by a £45,000 contribution from the Forest Council, and will provide 37 new affordable rental properties and 20 shared ownership homes.
A further 31 affordable homes were also provided in settlements with a population of less than 3,000, to help meet rural housing needs.