WORK on a development of 56 affordable homes in Malton could start in a matter of weeks.

Yorkshire-based housing association Broadacres has planned the development for a 3.4 hectare field off Rainbow Lane in northern Malton, between Dickens Lane and the Rainbow Equine Hospital.

The development, which already had outline permission granted in 2015, was given final permission by the district council planning committee last week.

The homes will be a mixture of three, two and one-bed houses and bungalows, largely built from red-brick with concrete roof tiles. Access to the site will be from Rainbow Lane.

Planning officer Gary Housden said: “This scheme is a significant submission in terms of meeting our affordable housing targets.”

One of the key discussion points among councillors on the committee was noise levels from the A64 to the north of the site.

Mr Housden said that one of the conditions of the work will be a substantial earth bund and noise attenuation scheme in the form of a four-metre high acoustic fence and landscaping.

He added these will help deaden the sound of the adjacent A64 for the new homes - and also for the people who currently live in Dickens Road and Peasey Hills.

Paul Brailsford, the application agent, said that “the design and development process has not been straightforward” with the site due to noise considerations, but that the council’s environmental health officer is content that noise “will not affect the residents’ quality of life”.

He added: “The design has evolved with the full support of officers. Work on site could start within a matter of weeks.”

Cllr Elizabeth Shields said that the site was an “excellent” one.

“This is a very large piece of land which has long wanted some kind of dwellings on,” she said.

Broadacres Housing Association is a not-for-profit housing association based in Northallerton. It has a portfolio of 6,000 homes across North Yorkshire, with 120 of them currently in Ryedale.