A NEW development of affordable homes is planned on the site of a former health centre in Stockton Town Centre.

Thirteen has recently purchased the site of the former Alma Street Resource Centre which it intends to demolish and replace with the new homes which will be just a short walk away from Stockton Town Centre's shopping and leisure facilities.

Ian Wardle, chief executive at Thirteen, said they were delighted to have acquired the site.

He said: "The delivery of these high-quality, affordable rented homes will not only complement the recent investment in the regenerated town centre but will also bring this important site back into use by providing family housing, apartments and bungalows, that will meet the needs of the local community.

"We are in the process of working up a detailed scheme and hope to have a planning application submitted by the end of the year with the aim of starting on site in 2018."

Thirteen Group owns and manages more than 32,000 homes from North Tyneside to York, making it the largest registered landlord group in the North-East. It is also one of the ten largest employers in the North-East.