Fifty new homes are set to be built within the next nine months, Government announced on Friday.

And vacant and derelict houses will also be targeted for renovations in a bid to boost the stock of affordable housing available.

The news came in Friday's Throne Speech, an outline of Government's legislative and policy plans for the upcoming Parliamentary year, which was delivered by Governor Thorold Masefield.

"Government remains committed to increasing the stock of affordable housing,'' he told the crowds which gathered to hear the presentation on the lawn of the Cabinet House.

"In this regard, the Bermuda Housing Corporation is poised to initiate a building programme that will result in more than 50 new two and three bedroom units being completed within the next nine months.'' BHC chairman Larry Burchall later told The Royal Gazette that the organisation was hoping to have everything in place by the end of May, but it could take longer.

Unlike in the past when housing units were built together creating developments such as the condominiums at Duck's Puddle in Hamilton Parish and Frog Lane in Devonshire, these units will be spread all over the Island, Mr.

Burchall said.

This would also prevent creating pockets of BHC accommodations, a trait the Bermuda Housing Board wanted to get away from.

And Mr. Burchall revealed that the types of accommodation due to be built would also differ.

The sort of people living in BHC accommodation had become far more varied than was previously the case and the BHC's housing stock needed a wider range of units to reflect this diversity, he explained.

This wider range of choices would provide more choice when more housing units were released in the future for purchase.

The Governor also told the public on Friday: "In addition, the Bermuda Housing Corporation will make greater use of the powers under the Bermuda Housing Act 1980 to accelerate its renovation programme that targets vacant and derelict housing units.'' Mr. Burchall said this idea was at its early stages and had come about following the realisation that there were a number of vacant and derelict properties around the Island which could be turned into affordable housing.

He pointed out that Bermuda could either use up its vacant land to build homes on or recycle its housing stock in a bid to provide affordable housing -- a move which would also reduce the amount of accommodation wastage.

Mr. Burchall said he believed the Housing Corporation would use the legislation if it was needed, but admitted he hoped that would not be necessary.

The BHC did not want to use draconian measures to force the renovation of vacant units, he said. Instead it hoped that its powers of persuasion would do the job as had been the case so far.

HOUSING HSG