RAF MILDENHALL, England — The U.S. Air Force has selected Ashwell Property Group to provide up to 440 homes as part of a build-to-lease housing community on a proposed site on the western edge of Mildenhall.

The selection was announced in a news release from 3rd Air Force, which also said construction could begin in April 2006.

The Air Force identified the need for additional housing through a Housing Requirements and Market Analysis conducted in October 2003. The study sought to determine if the private sector around the tri-base area of RAF Mildenhall, RAF Lakenheath and RAF Feltwell could provide sufficient housing for military families.

“This housing will help our military families,” said Maj. Gen. Mike Gould, Third Air Force commander, in the news release.

“Everyone seems to understand that with our high deployment rate, there is a real need to have our families close to military hospitals, schools and family support facilities,” he said.