Two affordable housing schemes which had hit problems look to be back on track after a district council pledged to help them out with more than £180,000.

Some 62 affordable homes could be built at sites in Bury Road, Thetford, and Parklands Avenue, Shipdham, with both currently in the planning process.

Both had hit snags which affected their prospects.

But they have been given a helping hand by Breckland Council, which has pledged £145,000 to Havebury Housing for the Thetford scheme, and £37,423 to Saffron Housing Trust for the Shipdham project.

The money was set aside in a capital budget by Breckland, having been secured through Section 106 agreements with private developers on prior projects. The figure of £182,423 had to be spent by July.

Charles Carter, Breckland's Executive Member for Growth, said: 'By allocating this funding, Breckland could help towards the construction of up to 62 brand new, affordable homes which would go some way towards helping to meet the demand for affordable housing in the district.'

The Thetford project, which will include 38 affordable homes, will be based on a former gasworks site in Bury Road.

According to a report produced by Julie Kennealy, Breckland's executive director for commercialisation, the costs of cleaning up the site have affected its viability.

At Shipdham, the 24-unit development has been hit by the high cost of diverting a main sewer.

Both projects have been affected by national changes to rent policy for affordable housing.