A SCHEME to start building family homes on the derelict Old Croft House site, in Williton, has been given the go-ahead.

The project is to be funded from a pot of £4million given to West Somerset Council by EDF Energy to mitigate any adverse affects on housing as a result of Hinkley C.

The scheme was recommended for approval at a full council meeting last Wednesday by the Hinkley Point Planning Obligations Board and has been supported by cabinet.

The proposed allocations are expected to support three schemes – an Enabling Fund, a First Time Buyers’ Home Loan Scheme and a Living Over the Shop scheme.

The Enabling Fund proposes that £56,000 is given to Knightstone Housing Ltd to enable it to construct 12 houses on the Old Croft House site, in Williton.

Knightstone Housing Ltd has already secured £354,000 Government funding and is investing £1.35million itself but is still around £60,000 short for the development.

The Old Croft House is a disused residential care home, which closed about two years ago and moved to another site in North Croft, Williton.

Cllr Robert McDonald, chairman of Williton parish council, said: “It is great news for Williton.

“The old building has served its purpose and new housing has been wanted in Williton for a long time. “The houses will be close to the town’s amenities and I expect they will be sold very quickly.”

The Living Over the Shop scheme proposes to provide grants of up to £15,000 per property to help organisations convert disused commercial space into residential use, while the First Time Buyers’ Home Loan Scheme proposes to provide 10 loans – five across West Somerset and five in Sedgemoor District Council – of up to £15,000 to private or social tenants to top up savings to be used as deposits enabling house ownership.

Cllr Keith Turner, housing portfolio holder for West Somerset Council, said: “The funding will help us provide desperately needed housing – for example, 12 family homes at the Old Croft House site in Williton which will provide 56 bed spaces.

“The Living Over the Shop scheme will make very good use of otherwise empty space, while the First Time Buyers’ Home Loan Scheme will help young people get on to the first rung of the home buying ladder – and free up rented housing whether in the social or private sector.”