COUNCILS in Cumbria are due to receive a £4.9 million bonus next year for enabling more than 3,000 new homes to be built in the county, the Government has announced.

The allocation for 2014-15 means that Cumbria will have received £10.1 million over a four-year period for helping to provide 3,051 newly-built homes and conversions, and bringing 443 empty homes back into use.

The figures also include 1,309 affordable homes.