A set of old garages that became a hotspot for antisocial behaviour and fly-tipping are being transformed into new homes.
The 52 garages, on Falmouth Road, North Shields, were built in the 1950s but are no longer in use.
Now North Tyneside Council has put together a scheme to convert them into nine two-bedroom bungalows with a low carbon footprint.
Go here for the latest breaking news from North Tyneside
North Shields firm HUSK has been appointed to redevelop the site using a patented method in which the garage roofs are removed and the walls are kept.
Pre-fabricated insulated timber framed walls are then erected. The homes are to include a kitchen, wet room, living and dining area. The design also incorporates a resident parking area and individual front gardens.
The properties will be eco-friendly with an air source heat pump and solar panels to help reduce the electric bills for new tenants.
They will have an EPC rating of band A and will be compliant with Homes England and NDSS (National Described Space Standard) requirements, which dictate how much living space a home must have.
The £1.3m scheme is part of the council’s Affordable Homes Programme. More than 1,650 homes have been completed in recent years and the council aims to create a further 2,350 by 2032.
Funding from Homes England will help to support the development.
Mayor Norma Redfearn said: "Demand for affordable and good quality homes remains high in North Tyneside, particularly for bungalows, and we know that affordable homes are a priority for local people.
"This scheme is such a creative use of a redundant patch of land to deliver new homes, and I am very pleased we are able to tap into the ingenuity of a North Shields firm to find a solution for this site.
"The garages were built in the 1950s and have outlived their usefulness. They attract antisocial behaviour and flytipping and are a detriment to the community.
"This fantastic project will see the renewal of an eyesore patch of land to provide attractive, modern, affordable homes for the community.
"The concept is bold and inventive, and I look forward to seeing the completed scheme and further opportunities to work with HUSK on other projects."
Coun Steve Cox, cabinet member for housing, added: "This is a creative and cost-effective way to provide new homes on a disused site, that is currently doing more harm than good for the community.
"As well as being too small to accommodate modern cars, the garages are in a poor state of repair and are lowering the tone of this area of North Shields.
"At a time when we face a severe housing shortage across the country and people’s energy bills are spiralling out of control, these new homes will be an attractive and environmentally-friendly addition to the community, with lower fuel bills for the tenants and a smaller carbon footprint.
"They are delivering on our key targets of building on brownfield sites, providing genuine affordable homes, tackling the climate emergency, and supporting local businesses to create jobs.
"This is the future of house building and the council is very proud to be onboard."
The project is expected to finish in the autumn and homes will be available to let through Tyne and Wear Homes.
