Work will finally start in the new year to build homes at Norwich's scandal-hit Greyhound Opening - nine years after the site made national headlines.

Norwich City Council has awarded a contract to RG Carter to build 105 homes at Greyhound Opening and Goldsmith Street, between Old Palace Road and Dereham Road.

The intention is for all 105 homes to be let for social rent, through the council's choice-based lettings scheme Home Options.

The properties will be built to eco-friendly Passivhaus standards.

Gail Harris, Norwich City Council's deputy leader and cabinet member for council housing, said: 'We are very much looking forward to starting work on-site to deliver these much needed affordable homes for the city.

'Our first Passivhaus homes are due for completion at Hansard Close, Mile Cross, in spring 2017. This is paving the way for Goldsmith Street.

'This will help realise our ambitions to make Norwich a low carbon city with good housing for all'.

The site made national headlines in 2008 because City Hall staff had, contrary to council policy, moved into homes on the Greyhound Opening and Goldsmith Street site.

People living in some houses were being re-homed ahead of redevelopment of the site.

The council had agreed officers relocating to Norwich could move into some empty properties, so elderly people who had yet to move would not feel isolated.

But it was against policy for other staff to move in. One who did was Kristine Reeves, the council's head of neighbourhood and strategic housing, who ended up being sacked.