WORK has started on the first of more than 50 new homes to be built in Peterlee.

A dozen three-bedroom houses are being built on vacant land in Matterdale Road by County Durham Housing Group.

All 12 new houses in Matterdale Road will be available under the Government-backed ‘Rent to Buy’ scheme, intended to help tackle the housing crisis.

The scheme is designed to ease the transition from renting to buying a home by offering a reduced rent, usually around 20 per cent below the market rate.

The aim is to give people the opportunity to save for a deposit at the same time and buy their home after five years.

County Durham Housing Group development manager Tom Winter said: “Peterlee has a strong demand for affordable housing, so it’s great to be bringing our construction programme to the town.

“But Matterdale Road is just the start. In total we’ll be creating more than 50 new, affordable homes in Peterlee; that’s just short of ten per cent of our £54m new-build programme across the region.

“Rent to Buy opportunities on this site will help local families move up the housing ladder, in an affordable way, and contribute towards the long-term future of the community.”

County Durham Housing Group was also granted planning permission for a further 41 new affordable homes in Tamar Close and Teign Close earlier this summer.

Work on that site is due to begin next year.

Construction at Matterdale Road is being carried out by contractors T Manners and Sons, based in Bishop Auckland.