A city councillor has predicted a brighter future for a rundown shopping centre and rotting flats in Norwich after a long protracted sale was finally completed.

The 60 flats at Earlham House were sold at auction last October for �1.1m but were put in the hands of receivers, and the sale has only now been completed.

The site has been blighted by complaints of poor living conditions and confusion over ownership, and Green Party city councillor Denise Carlo is now calling for work to refurbish the flats to start as soon as possible.

A planning application was approved earlier this month to replace windows and doors, and enclose balconies at the flats, which have no central heating, little insulation and single glazing.

Mrs Carlo said: 'It's good news and this means that the work can now be implemented. Hopefully, there's light at the end of the tunnel and I predict a bright future for Earlham House.

'We don't know the new owners of the flats, but should find out soon. The flats were sold at auction in October and placed in the hands of the receivers. We have just heard from them that the sale has finally been completed.'

As reported, the pot-holed car park, outside Earlham House in Earlham Road, was fixed in March, but improvements to the flats stalled due to problems over ownership.

The flats were put in the hands of receivers, who were appointed in 2010 by the Bank of Ireland, but developers from Hampshire called Bellgold Properties now own the freehold to the site and put in the planning application.

In 2010, improvement notices were served on 50 of the flats requiring heating and better insulation, including double-glazing.

But the previous landlord, Relay Arch, ignored the order and were prosecuted and fined �15,000.

Have your plans for work in the city recently been approved? Call reporter David Bale on 01603 772427 or email david.bale2@archant.co.uk.