West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin today welcomed news that local parish councils will benefit from a £120,000 payout. The MP congratulated Wychavon District Council for committing to handing out the fund to its parishes as part of the New Homes Bonus scheme. The New Homes Bonus is a national fund to encourage more house building and provide more much-needed affordable homes. The fund is calculated on the number of new homes built and rewards developments which make the best use of available sites including empty homes and in-fill sites. Wychavon council will receive £799,217 for building 320 new homes last year and it has committed to passing £120,000 on to the parish councils. Housing Minister Grant Shapps recently highlighted Wychavon’s initiative and praised the way the council consulted with local bodies to identify areas for development. Harriett commented: “Wychavon District Council is to be applauded for committing to pass a good chunk of the New Homes Bonus back to the parishes to help fund community projects. “It is important that local people get their say on housing development and having agreed to new housing, this is a great way of allowing the community to benefit directly from the Government incentive scheme. “The New Homes Bonus is important for encouraging responsible housing development to help provide homes for future generations.”