More than 20 new homes look set to be built on a vacant site when the scheme is voted on this week.

Plans to develop up to 21 homes on vacant, disused land south of Leisure Way in Lowestoft will be discussed at an East Suffolk Council planning meeting on Thursday, December 19.

Councillors will be told planning officers recommend approval of the application from Lawson Planning Partnership (LPP), which was submitted on behalf of site owner Frostdrive Ltd.

It centres around the "construction of up to 21 dwellings with associated landscaping, open space and ancillary infrastructure and works" at a site where planning permission has previously been approved for residential and leisure schemes.

The planning report to be discussed by councillors states: "The total site area comprises approximately 0.8 ha (1.97 acres) of relatively flat vacant disused land mostly enclosed by fencing.

"It is the remaining undeveloped plot from a previously consented and extant mixed-use development including a leisure scheme covering the wider area on land south of Leisure Way."

The proposed scheme of 21 new properties consists of eight, three or four bed houses; seven, two bed houses; four, three bed houses and two, one bed apartments.

The planners report concludes: "It is considered that the provision of housing (including affordable housing) to be delivered on this site in a sustainable location weighs in favour of the application.

"Furthermore, the fact that the site benefits from previous permissions for leisure use, and a care home, and most notably the extant outline consent for 17 dwellings are considered to be significant material considerations that weigh in favour of the proposal. The site is also located within an area of existing development and it is in very close proximity to the built-up area of the northern part of the town.

"Officers suggest, therefore, that it is difficult to argue that the site forms part of the wider open landscape, but it is actually a constrained site with development surrounding it and these are factors which also weigh in favour of the proposal. Consequently, giving consideration to the planning balance it is judged that these material considerations outweigh the conflict with the development plan."

It recommends that "authority to approve" the plans subject to the "completion of a section 106 agreement covering affordable housing, habitat mitigation and management of the open space; and the recommended conditions."