A plan for 30 new affordable homes in Great Yarmouth has won unanimous approval from councillors.

The scheme for the homes by Estcourt Road and Churchill Road - on land that houses a former Northgate Hospital building - was considered at a Wednesday meeting of the borough council’s development control committee.

The bid by Minster Property Group had been due to be voted on at the end of last year, but the plan was withdrawn to look at factors such as drainage and the impact on wildlife.

The development would have 14 two-bedroom houses, two three-bedroom houses, two four-bedroom houses, eight three-bedroom houses and four one-bedroom flats.

Private parking provision for each house are included in the plans, with extra spaces for visitors.

It was also proposed that an "acoustic barrier" be installed on the boundaries of the site to limit noise from the Great Yarmouth Borough Services' depot on Churchill Road and the garages on Estcourt Road.

Addressing the committee, Minster’s agent said: “Delivering affordable housing viably is very challenging, especially in the current climate, but we are committed to doing so.”

He said “a number of revisions” had been agreed around the access to the site, as well as to address concerns around noise.

He added that the proposal would respect the site’s heritage, and would help the council to “start tackling the affordable housing shortfall right now”.

Labour councillor and former Great Yarmouth MP Tony Wright said the developer ought to be “commended” for making all 30 of the homes affordable.

“Certainly in an area like Great Yarmouth, where we have a low wage economy… it will help people get onto the housing ladder in their locality,” he said.

Conservative councillor Geoff Freeman agreed: “This is long overdue. We desperately need affordable housing - the sooner we get started on this, the better.”

And Conservative member Graham Carpenter, who also serves as local county councillor for the area, said he was “delighted” by the scheme, before putting forward a motion to approve the homes - which won unanimous approval from the committee.