DEVELOPERS behind a housing scheme on a site which was partially cleared in the 1980s will build around the last few remaining tenants.

The site at Hawkshead Place, Newton Aycliffe, was previously occupied by former council housing stock but only six properties are still standing.

All six are occupied, with two properties rented from the council and four privately-owned.

Councillors backed proposals for the development, which will see 86 homes built around the properties by Sedgefield Borough Council, in partnership with the Tees Valley Housing Group.

Ian Brown, head of housing management at the council, said: "We didn't want to go down the route of compul-sory purchase orders.

"It's a long process and we just wanted to get a derelict site back into use as soon as possible.

"We could have just sold off the site on the open market but we have taken a different view, and when we sold the site we put down certain things that we wanted out of the scheme."

All the homes on the site will be south facing to make the most of the sun, and 30 per cent of the stock will be classed as affordable housing.

Deals will be struck with contractors to ensure a specified number of hours are set aside for local apprenticeship training.

Existing roads, paths and utilities across the site still serve the remaining properties, and the main road will be incorporated into the new layout.

There will be a mixture of properties for sale or to rent, with a small number of homes earmarked for shared ownership.

Twenty bungalows will be built, set aside for affordable rent and allocated to people on the housing waiting list.

There will also be a selection of three and four-bedroom houses, apartments and mews flats.

Sedgefield Borough Council's housing portfolio holder, Councillor Bill Waters, said: "The area is derelict and underused at the moment and our plans are to create homes for sale, for rent and for shared ownership in a mixed, vibrant and sustainable way."