Six affordable homes are to be built in Saffron Walden as part of a £680,000 project led by Uttlesford District Council (UDC).

Planning permission has been granted to demolish 40 dilapidated garages on Catons Lane and replace them with four two-bed and two one-bed homes.

UDC is currently seeking contractors to take on the project, which is one of a number of schemes the council is working on as part of a drive to build its own homes.

Cabinet member for housing, Councillor Julie Redfern, said: “Catons Lane is part of a package of things we’re doing. I’m really proud of us as a council, we’re trying to do the best we can for those people on our waiting list – I am really pleased.”

Similar development schemes have been completed in Stansted Mountfitchet, with eight new houses, nine bungalows and 12 flats in Mead Court, and Leaden Roding – a proposal which saw five bungalows built in place of four garages.

There are currently 1,530 people on the council’s housing waiting list – which will only be significantly reduced by market home developments accompanied by affordable housing, according to Cllr Redfern.

Funding for the project, which is situated next to Saffron Walden Football Club, will come out of UDC’s Housing Revenue Account.

In 2012, the district council was saddled with £88.7m of historic housing debt from the Government by effectively buying itself out of the old social housing system

The change in the management of housing stock by local authorities meant £16.3million could be pumped into new housing projects in Uttlesford up to 2017.