FORTY-eight one and two bedroom homes are set to be built for residents currently on Basildon Council's housing waiting list after the authority completed the purchase of a site.

The site, located in Burnt Mills Road, Basildon, was purchased for £2.5million and is currently made up of various disused outbuildings and a detached bungalow. 83 on-site parking spaces will be provided for the new homes including visitor and disabled bays.

Leader of Basildon Council Cllr Gavin Callaghan said: "We are proud to be building high quality affordable new homes for our borough residents. There is a real need for one and two bed properties so this development will help to meet the demand on our waiting list.

"It's never been more difficult to get on the property ladder and that is why it is crucial that we continue to build council homes to give the next generation of Basildon residents the opportunity to live in the borough they grew up in."

The new homes will be built within walking distance of nurseries, infant and primary schools, a GP and dental practice and bus and train connections serving both Pitsea and Basildon town centre.

The buildings on site are due to be demolished and the council will begin the process to procure a developer to build the new homes with construction anticipated to start in the summer of 2021.