Plans to demolish garages in Three Rivers and replace them with 16 new affordable homes have been given the green light.

Three Rivers councillors granted planning permission to proposals for 14 flats and two houses at a meeting on Thursday, November 16.

The new homes will be built at three sites that are owned by Three Rivers District Council, with every home to be available for a rental cost that is capped at the value of the local housing allowance.

While the application was made by Three Rivers Homes, a joint venture between the district council and Watford Community Housing, the properties will be managed by the latter organisation after they are built.

To make way for the homes, some garages in Maple Cross and Mill End will be demolished. In their place will be a two-storey apartment block containing six two-bedroom flats on The Queens Drive site, and two four-bedroom houses and a three-storey apartment block containing eight two-bedroom flats at the Pollards in Maple Cross.

Three Rivers District Council has received almost £4.5m via the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) to make it possible to provide additional affordable housing at the site.

The LAHF is an innovative capital fund that helps local authorities in England obtain housing for those who are unable to find settled accommodation on resettlement schemes.

Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, deputy council leader and lead member for planning policy and infrastructure, said: “I am delighted that these garage sites will be transformed into Affordable Homes, which are much-needed in the district.

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“Furthermore, it is great the development will be taking place on brownfield land as opposed to precious green belt land, which we, as a council, want to protect as much as possible.

“We all know house prices within Three Rivers are quite high. I am pleased these developments will deliver high-quality family housing at an affordable offer.”

Tina Barnard, chief executive of Watford Community Housing and chair of Three Rivers Homes, said: “We are pleased that planning permission has been granted to transform these underused garage sites into 16 much-needed family homes for affordable rent.

"They will be delivered by Three Rivers Homes, the joint venture between Watford Community Housing and Three Rivers District Council, showing how our shared commitment to partnership working is helping to meet the high demand for affordable homes in the local area.

“We will do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum for local residents during construction and look forward to welcoming the families into their brand-new homes once they are completed.”