More than 60 affordable homes will be brought to Thetford in a deal worth �220,000.

More than 60 affordable homes will be brought to Thetford in a deal worth �220,000.

Several areas of land, valued at �135,000, on the Barnham Cross estate, will be handed over to Flagship Peddars Way Housing Association.

Restrictive covenants, affecting some of the garage forecourts at Sweyn Close and Fulmerston Road, will also be removed, which has been valued at �85,000.

The decision is set to be taken at Breckland Council's next cabinet meeting on July 20.

Leader of Breckland Council, William Nunn, said: “This is an important opportunity to further develop the affordable housing stock in Thetford and we know from extensive consultation with residents that this is something they want to see happen.

“The signing over of this land and the removal of the covenants represents a major contribution by the council to ensuring the housing scheme goes ahead.

“It is another example of Breckland Council ensuring it uses its assets for the best possible advantage of the community.”

Breckland Council has worked in partnership with Flagship Peddars Way since 2008 to bring forward the redevelopment of 34 out-dated properties at Sweyn Close on the Barnham Cross Estate.

The new scheme, which was given planning permission in March but is now waiting for funding from the Homes and Communities Agency, will provide 66 new affordable homes, with 52 social rent and 14 shared ownership properties.

It is hoped that now the government's emergency budget has been approved the funding can be released. Meanwhile, Breckland Council hopes its new investment in the scheme will act as a catalyst for that to happen.

Work has been ongoing on the Barnham Cross Estate to improve the area and bring homes up to modern standards. In some cases this has meant the redevelopment of homes, particularly in the Sweyn Close and Fulmerston Road area where the buildings were deemed uneconomical to bring up to standard.

Tenants will be pre-selected from Breckland's housing register in order to accommodate specific needs.