NEW houses have been built on a village council estate to help meet the need for affordable accommodation.

The Three Rivers Housing Group has built 14 homes on parcels of land at Rose Lea, Witton Gilbert, that were sold to it by Durham City Council.

The development is a mix of three-bedroomed semi-detached houses, three-bedroomed linked houses and a four-bedroomed detached house.

The Liberal Democrat-controlled council will put the money it got for the land into its Flourishing Communities Fund for regeneration projects across the district.

Cabinet member for housing Dennis Southwell said: "This scheme is a true test of the council's Flourishing Communities Fund, which is one of our main aims.

"We recognised an area of under-used land and, by working with the association and local members, we have been able to respond to a defined need in the village with the right kind of accommodation.

"The receipts from the sale of the land can already be seen to be benefiting communities through the Flourishing Communities Fund."

Lynda Peacock, Three Rivers' director of development and regeneration, said: "We are proud to be working in partnership with the council on this new development. Our aim is to provide affordable family homes in rural areas and help local villages such as Witton Gilbert remain sustainable."