STARTER homes built by Craven District Council have been approved on the site of semi-derelict garages in Glusburn.

Despite reservations about the current storing of flooding sandbags in one of the seven garages, the council gave itself the go-ahead to redevelop the site off Burnroyd Avenue.

An earlier planning consent for a pair of semi-detached houses on the same site had included the condition that alternative accommodation be found for the up to 1,000 sandbags.

But it was pointed out at Tuesday's planning committee meeting it was the council itself that supplied the sandbags and it would be in the interests of the local authority to come up with another storage area.

Approval for the three, two-bedroom homes will see the council enter into a pilot project, which could result in it building ten to 15 homes at up to five different sites during the next four years.

The houses will be offered to people under a shared ownership scheme, with buyers having the option of eventually owning the properties outright. The council hopes it will mean an additional revenue stream of up to £100,000 per year.

It expects most people will buy half of the property, purchasing shares over time.

Ward councillor Philip Barrett (Ind) said he was in support of the application.

He added: "This is going to provide some much needed starter homes in South Craven, and it is good they will be built by the council as well."

A note of caution was raised by Cllr Chris Harbron, who asked if the houses would struggle to get insurance because of the site being within an Environment Agency Flood Zone.

But he was told by development control manager, Ian Swain, the Environment Agency had not objected to the principle of the homes being built and he was sure floor levels would be sufficient to cope with any potential flooding.

Cllr Alan Sutcliffe (Cons) stressed any problems with the storage of sandbags could be easily sorted out by the council.

"With the greatest respect for residents, these are problems we can sort out ourselves," he said.