The government has bought 379 homes from Bovis for £18 million to be used as affordable housing in the largest deal to date carried out through the national clearing house. David Ritchie, chief executive of Bovis Homes, said the deal was possible because of the housebuilder’s strong relationship with the Homes and Communities Agency and its partner registered social landlords (RSLs). “We are pleased to have been able to contribute significantly to housing delivery under the government’s programme whilst at the same providing positive returns for our shareholders,” he said. The national clearing house was announced among a range of measures to aid the housing industry last summer, with the first phase announced last October. <br>