Sancturay has selected Seddon Construction to build 700 homes in the Midlands, and Keepmoat to construct a further 400 homes in Yorkshire and Humberside.

The projects are part of an ambitious program to build 3,600 new homes over the next four years.

Around £90m of the £500m spend has been released from the Homes and Communities Agency’s Affordable Homes Programme.

Peter Martin, Sanctuary’s group director, said: “These important appointments will bring a vital boost to local economies at sites across the Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside, and result in the delivery of more than a thousand affordable homes by 2015.

“Creating employment opportunities is a key priority for Sanctuary, which is why we have selected partners that share our aims.”

Martin Smithurst, managing director for Keepmoat Yorkshire, said: “We are delighted to be working with Sanctuary Housing once again on a project which will deliver much needed new homes in the northern region.

“Keepmoat has been working with Sanctuary for over six years on similar projects, which means we can offer a seamless transition and invaluable expertise to the work.”

Seddon Construction managing director Jonathan Seddon said: “We will deliver new affordable homes as well as create jobs and training opportunities in local communities.

“The company has a long and successful history of apprentice recruitment and it is particularly satisfying to be launching this new partnership in 2012, the year in which we mark Seddon’s 75th anniversary of taking on apprentices.”