The first stage of building a sheltered housing development for people with mental health problems from Great Yarmouth was announced yesterday. NHS Yarmouth and Waveney announced that it wants to sell a brownfield site off Estcourt Road to a developer who wants to turn it into housing to meet a shortfall in the provision of specialist accommodation in the borough.

The first stage of building a sheltered housing development for people with mental health problems from Great Yarmouth was announced yesterday.

NHS Yarmouth and Waveney announced that it wants to sell a brownfield site off Estcourt Road to a developer who wants to turn it into housing to meet a shortfall in the provision of specialist accommodation in the borough.

The 0.4-hectare piece of surplus land - the equivalent of two football pitches - was previously the site of the former isolation ward at Northgate Hospital.

In 2006, plans to build a �10m office block housing 500 public sector workers and a large medical drop-in centre on part of the land were dropped because of the reorganis-ation of primary care trusts.

If approved, the proposed housing development will be used by vulnerable people who have been discharged from hospitals or other care sites.

The developer is working closely with NHS Yarmouth and Waveney, Yarmouth Borough Council, Norfolk County Council and the Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Trust to submit a planning application in the next few months.

Andy Peck, head of estates and risk for NHS Yarmouth and Waveney, said: “This project will maximise the potential of what is currently surplus land.

“The land will unlock government money, which will be developed on the basis of sheltered housing for the Yarmouth area.

“We know this housing is needed and there is a huge shortfall at the moment. Having more sheltered housing will help reduce the pressures in the health services. Currently there is very little resource for people with mental health problems who need housing.

“It is key to improving care in the future.”

Bob Peck, borough council cabinet member for the community, said the council had been working hard to move the scheme forward as it would play an essential role in providing support to people with mental health problems.

He said: “Many of these individuals have not lived independently before, or have found doing so a challenge, and it has been historically difficult to house them in the borough to meet their needs.

“This scheme will make that a thing of the past.”

Rachel Newson, director of business development at Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Trust, said she was pleased to see the needs of vulnerable people had been recognised in such a positive way through the proposed development.

A public display about the proposed Estcourt Road development will be held on Wednesday, February 3, from 4pm to 7pm at Yarmouth High School in Salisbury Road.