A plan to build a social housing development on a plot of land snubbed by private developers has been given the go-ahead.

The Council-owned plot of scrubland in Bowling was marketed as a potential housing site, but failed to attract interest from private developers.

The Council has now developed its own plan, for 36 homes, which would all be rented out as social housing.

This plan was given approval at a meeting of the regulatory and appeals committee yesterday.

All three Little Horton ward councillors had welcomed the idea of more affordable housing for the area.

Councillor Alyas Karmani (Ind) said he recognised the land, south of Ripley Street by the railway tracks, was not “the most glamorous area in the world”, but said private developers had missed a trick by overlooking it as housing was in such short supply locally.