A CONSORTIUM of Gwent-based housing associations has taken on a new partner as part of its plans to invest more than £200 million in new and existing homes over the next four years creating more than 250 new jobs.

Monmouthshire Housing Association has joined the Seren Group, Melin Homes, of Pontypool, and Newport Housing Trust in the GENuS consortium.

Established in 2005, to date it has invested more than £125 million and provided 828 new homes.

Darrell Bolton, a director of the Newport-based Seren Group and chairman of GENuS' strategic management group, said they were delighted to welcome "forward-thinking" Monmouthshire Housing to the consortium.

"They share our values and are committed to working together to provide high quality homes and improved services to local people."

John Keegan, chief executive of Monmouthshire Housing said GENuS was instrumental in the huge success of many of the region's new affordable home building programmes.

He added it was great to be joining at such an exciting time when they were all focusing on investing in their existing homes to enhance the lives of their customers.

GENuS also intends to create more than 250 jobs in construction while establishing more than 40 apprenticeships for people living in the area.

Mr Bolton said it took hard work and determination to make initiatives like this a success.

"Given the current economic climate the timing couldn't be better for building new partnerships, delivering real efficiencies and taking on new challenges."

Seren Group includes Charter Housing which has a stock of nearly 4,000 properties while Newport Housing Trust was formed to take over the city's 600 prefabs before embarking on a major bungalow replacement programme.

Pontypool-based Melin Homes has responsibility for almost 3,000 and Monmouthshire Housing manages and maintains around 4,000.