<p><p><p><p><span>Aster Group’s turnover increased slightly during its financial year while the number of homes built fell.</span><span> </span></p><p><span>During the year to March 31 2020, the housing association and developer said it invested </span><span>£260 million in building new homes and maintaining and improving its existing portfolio, with </span><span>turnover rising to £214.6 million against 2019’s </span><span>£211.9 million. </span><span> </span></p><p><span>Pre-tax profits also rose to £59.8 million compared to last year’s £55 million.</span><span> </span></p><p><span>During the period, Aster built 1,067 new homes, down on last year’s 1,156. This was due to “</span><span>the timing of handovers and completions by developers”, Aster said.</span><span> </span></p><p><span>Of this year’s homes total, </span><span>112 were for open market sale, 524 were for social and affordable rent and 431 for shared ownership. </span></p><p><span>Aster said that during its financial year it had strengthened its joint venture partnership with Vistry Group, which is due to deliver more than 1,400 houses by 2025.</span><span> </span></p><p><span>Under its land-led programme, the group acquired </span><span>land to deliver more than 700 homes. Aster said that during the next few years it planned to increase its land portfolio.</span><span> </span></p><p><span>Aster currently has a portfolio of more than </span><span>32,000 homes, with £</span><span>2 billion of assets on its balance sheet, including £148 million in cash. </span></p><p><span>Bjorn …