Work to build five homes on the site of a former Norwich pub is underway.
The site of the former King's Arms pub in Mile Cross Road will be developed into five energy-efficient homes, after the pub has stood empty for more than a decade.
The Norwich City Council project will use a 'fabric first' construction approach, which aims to use building materials that will keep energy costs down for residents.
The site was bought by Norwich City Council last year through a compulsory purchase order after it remained undeveloped for several years and had become a hotspot for fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.
Councillor Gail Harris, Norwich City Council’s cabinet member for social housing, said: “This project not only meets the council’s priorities of building and maintaining good-quality social housing to meet demand, but it also gives us the opportunity to repurpose and adapt a problem site into something positive for Norwich residents.
“This is a great development for the city and adds to the city council’s growing housing stock.
"It also sends a strong message to private owners who fail to develop their assets, that the City Council will not stand by and allow land that could be put to good social use sit idle and be wasted.
"We will always seize every opportunity to build desperately-needed top quality homes for Norwich people in our city”.
Norwich City Council has also acquired the house next door to the pub, which was a former council house.
This will be kept as part of the council's housing stock, with a section of the garden being used to improve access to the Kings Arms development.
Broadland Housing Association is project managing the work, which is expected to be completed next autumn.
Andrew Savage, executive development director at Broadland Housing Association, said: “We are delighted to be project managing this new site for Norwich City Council to develop these much-needed new homes for the people of Norwich.”
200 more council homes have also been earmarked at the derelict Mile Cross depot site, as part of the council's efforts to meet housing needs in the city.
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