DEMOLITION work will start on Monday to make way for a £2m affordable housing development.

York Vale House, in East Road, Northallerton, the former head office of the Broadacres Housing Association, will be knocked down and 19 two-bedroom apartments built in its place.

Also included is a local office for Broadacres.

The development aims to go some way towards meeting the high need for affordable homes in Northallerton and is being billed as quality town centre accommodation.

York Vale House has been the headquarters of Broadacres since 1994.

The association moved to new premises on the Standard Way Industrial Estate last month.

A spokesperson for Broadacres said: "Over the intervening years, the association has expanded its services and needed larger premises.

"These have been provided at a new office on Standard Way, allowing a unique opportunity to develop a town centre site for residential accommodation.

"The apartments have been designed in a bold modern style by Stokesley based architects P&HS to a high specification, incorporating the latest materials and standards."

The work is being carried out by Strata Construction Ltd, which is also working with Broadacres to build homes oinValley Road, Northallerton.

Rob Brittain, business development manager at Broadacres, said: "I am delighted that we are able to provide new modern town centre living that local people will be able to afford."

Broadacres board member, Tony Twiggs, who worked in York Vale House from 1984 to 1986 when he was director of property services for North Yorkshire County Council, said: "This is a demonstration of Broadacres' commitment to developing affordable housing."

Planning permission for the development was granted in April, despite objections from Allertonshire Civic Society that noise from the nearby nightclub would cause problems for residents.

But Broadacres said the flats would be fitted with mechanical ventilation systems so that residents would not have to open their windows at night.

The planning consent was conditional on more than £50,000 being provided towards open space facilities in Northallerton.