CONSTRUCTION of more than 40 homes on a brownfield site in Peterlee is underway.

A mix of family houses and bungalows are being developed at Tamar Close and Teign Close, by believe housing.

The County Durham-based housing association will create 29 three-bed family houses alongside 10 two and two three-bed bungalows on the site.

Construction is being carried out by North-East contractor Tolent and was officially started with a short ground-breaking ceremony.

The site of the new development was formerly used for housing but has been vacant for some time.

Work is expected to take 15 months, with the first families moving in late next summer.

Development project manager, Rebecca Marshall, from believe housing said: “There’s a really strong demand for affordable homes, and bungalows in particular, across Peterlee.

“This project is designed to help meet some of that demand and support the long-term future of the town.

“The whole ethos of our development programme is to take smaller sites, like this, that might be ignored by private sector developers and turn them into much needed new housing.

“It’s an approach that helps communities grow organically by integrating new-build homes into existing neighbourhoods.”

The 12 bungalows, which will be adaptable for wheelchair users, will be available for rent.

All 29 houses will be available under the Government-backed ‘Rent to Buy’ scheme.

Chris Price, regional director for Tolent, said: “Our teams are some of the most experienced when it comes to delivering projects like this, having delivered over £800m of affordable housing schemes across the North-East and beyond.

“It’s key that we’re able to work with forward thinking clients like believe housing who can see the potential in transforming brownfield sites into fantastic spaces to live and we look forward on working together on our first project.”