Funding to kickstart four new housing developments has been handed to Bexley Council.

The Government has announced a £45million cash injection nationally into key areas to help build thousands of new homes.

The money is being used for councils to use land they own to build new houses.

In Bexley, four projects have been earmarked for the cash - West Street, Walnut Tree Depot, Bridge Street Road and Nags Head Lane.

The Government have pledged a total of £601,807 to the four projects - which will have to have land released for homes by 2020.

A spokesman for Bexley Council said: "We are delighted to have been awarded this funding in a very competitive process.

"We are all aware of the challenges faced bringing forward schemes in outer London.

"Council officers will now be working to ensure quality schemes on these sites can be delivered."

The cash is part of Government plans nationally to build 7,280 new homes on council owned land. The government wants to build 300,000 new homes a year.

The funding comes as the Mayor of London announced that Bexley would need to increase its housing target nearly three-fold, from 446 unites a year to 1,245 in his Draft London Plan.

One councillor said Sadiq Khan's proposal would "cause the most damage to Bexley" since Hitler's day - causing backlash on Twitter.