A SWEEPING crescent of new homes in Great Yarmouth will blend with seaside architecture, link conservation areas and boost the housing market.

The building of 19 houses, including three new affordable homes, began this week on the northern end of the Beach Coach Station car park in Nelson Road North.

The project is the first initiative from the Norfolk Development Company (NDC) created so that the county and district councils can work together to unlock economic development opportunities.

It aims to draw together the skills and resources of the county and borough councils to accelerate urban regeneration and demonstrate confidence in the local housing market.

Money invested by the NDC will be returned through house sales and reinvested in a fresh regeneration project elsewhere in Norfolk. As well as 19 new homes, the project will also fund the construction of a new entrance to the Beach Coach Station car park.

Ann Steward, Norfolk County Council's cabinet member for economic development, said: 'The Beach Coach Station land in Great Yarmouth is primed for development and this first project for the Norfolk Development Company is delivering 19 new housing units in the town.

'This could provide a key boost to Great Yarmouth's housing market and potentially lead to increased confidence in the local housing market and further regeneration in the town.

'I hope this proposal will be the first of many similar NDC initiatives that will boost our economy. We will be looking to work with all our district councils as opportunities arise where the revenue and other benefits from development exceed the costs. By pooling expertise and resources we will be able to regenerate areas of our county.'

Bernard Williamson, Great Yarmouth Borough Council's cabinet member for transformation and regeneration, said: 'The project on the Beach Coach Station car park land presents a great opportunity for us to bring about a multiple of benefits for Great Yarmouth.

'New housing provision, including an element of affordable housing, will help to stimulate the housing market.

'The ongoing council tax and new homes bonus funding also provides us with vital revenue that we can put back into local council services in the borough.'

The homes, a mixture of flats and houses, will wrap round a corner of the site and take inspiration from seaside terraces nearby, tying in with their palette of colours and period design.

NPS have designed the scheme and are also project managing, while RG Carter have been contracted to carry out the construction work on the two, four and six person family homes. Aldreds have been appointed as the sole housing sales agents.