Permission has been granted for 157 affordable homes to be built in Letchworth.

Sixty Hawksley bungalows, made out of surplus metal from Second World War aircraft, will be demolished along with 28 flats to make way for the new homes on Campfield Way, Highover Way and Icknield Way.

North Herts Council's planning committee voted unanimously to grant permission at their meeting on Thursday (April 16).

Housing association Settle, who applied for the planning permission, said the affordable homes will include 80 for social rent and 77 for shared ownership. 

Helen Pearson, Head of Regeneration at Settle, said the new homes will "genuinely change lives, supporting independence, improving accessibility and allowing residents to feel secure about their future".

The current bungalows were not designed to last for 70 years, and residents have experienced problems with damp and mould, and a lack of insulation. 

Ms Pearson said refurbishment of the now half-empty estate would have cost more than £200,000 per property.

"The choice was clear: continue investing in homes that cannot meet modern standards, or invest in a sustainable future where residents can thrive," she said.

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Settle confirmed that all existing residents will have the right to return to one of the new properties.

They will include 98 flats, 44 houses and 15 bungalows, with 45 one-bedroom properties, 87 two-bedroom, 20 three-bedroom, four four-bedroom and one five-bedroom. 

Members of the planning committee, including Cllr Ruth Brown and Cllr Dave Winstanley, commented on the need for new affordable housing in North Herts.

Richard Clayden read out comments from residents in support of the plans.

One resident said the bungalows "may look okay from the outside" but that they become "very cold" in the winter, and that "internally mould and leaks have been appearing more often".

Another said the buildings "no longer meet modern living standards" and added that the new proposal would "create warm, efficient and secure homes with an attractive green environment that respects Letchworth's heritage and community spirit".