CHANGES are expected to be made on new homes in Bishop’s Waltham for fear they would not be affordable.

Winchester City Council is applying to Homes England to remove a Designated Protection Area (DPA) status for affordable shared ownership homes east and west of Tangier Lane.

The DPA status limits the amount of mortgage providers that prospective purchasers can use, along with the amount that homeowners are able to purchase, with rest owned by the housing association Radian.

However, Cllr Kelsie Learney, cabinet member for housing and asset management, has given the go-ahead for an application to be submitted to Homes England to remove the order.

Cllr Learney said: “Currently the nine shared ownership homes proposed for east of Tangier Lane and 12 west of Tangier Lane fall within a Designated Protected Area which means that tenants can only purchase up to 80 per cent of their shared ownership home. As a result only two lenders will offer mortgages on these properties and they require a deposit of over 20 per cent of the value of the share of the property putting them out of reach of most applicants on the shared ownership register.

“In order to progress the scheme and fulfil the full 40 per cent affordable housing on the site and in the light of other schemes in the area offering shared ownership we are being asked to request a Designated Protected Area waiver from Homes England.”

The waiver will allow increasing home ownership options for the local community, if the application is approved.

A Designated Protection Area status is usually brought in by Homes England in areas where retention and sustainability of shared ownership housing stock is hard to replace.