Bradford is set to share in a £44.6million Government housing windfall for West Yorkshire.

The cash will be ploughed into affordable housing - both to rent and to buy.

The Housing Corporation, a Government agency, today announced the investment which will enable around 1,060 new low-cost homes to be built in the county in the next two years.

The corporation, which funds and regulates housing associations, has awarded the cash under its national affordable housing programme.

Housing Minister Yvette Cooper said it was excellent news: "We need more affordable homes, both for families to rent and for first time buyers as well," she said. "This programme will significantly increase affordable housing as part of the Government's plans to build new homes for the next generation."

Stuart Whyte, director of business development at the Baildon-based Accent Group which manages homes in Bradford and the region, said: "I am very pleased to see investment in West Yorkshire that will see associations such as ours provide more affordable homes, which meet identified local priorities.

"Many of the homes will be for rent and purchase by the diverse communities in which we work, for example, which has been an issue county-wide."

The corporation has also developed three new ways for those in need to buy homes. These include help for council tenants to buy their current homes; for key workers to buy a share of a new home and for them to buy on the open market using a mortgage and a loan.

Donald Hoodless, Housing Corporation board member with special responsibility for Yorkshire and Humber, said: "Affordable homes have a vital role to play in communities right across England - giving people the comfort and stability they need and helping to create truly successful and long-lasting communities."

He said the regional housing board had identified where the county needed more affordable homes and the Housing Corporation would see them built.

Nationally, the corporation is funding 84,000 new affordable homes by 2008. Of these 35,000 will be sold and 49,000 for rent. Around 14 per cent will be three-bedroom or larger.

Earlier this month the Telegraph & Argus reported how the Government wants 30,000 new homes in the district under the draft Regional Spatial Strategy.

Bradford Council is set to go head-to-head with the team behind the strategy in a bid to stop the deluge. Council planners believe the figure is double what is needed and urban housing is a better alternative to greenfield sites.