Work has begun on a £1.8 million scheme to provide much-needed one and two bedroom homes in Maryport.

Social landlords Home Group are building twenty one flats within a three storey structure on Bounty Avenue designed by award-winning Glasgow architects, Collective Architecture.

The development will provide affordable accommodation for local people over the age of 55 to meet what the company described as current demand.

Local contractors, Ashcroft Construction (Cumbria) Limited has been appointed to build the new homes and the first bricks are now in the ground.

Home's Senior Development Manager David Armstrong said: “Home Group’s North West Development team are pleased to be working with Ashcroft Construction, a local company, with whom we are quickly establishing a great working relationship”

“The scheme, which will provide much needed homes for people over 55 within the established community, is progressing well on site, and with substructures and retaining walls in place is presently on time and on budget, and due to hand over to us next summer.”

Chris Ashcroft, Chief Executive, Ashcroft Construction (Cumbria) said: ‘We are delighted to be working as the main contractor for Home Group on the Bounty Avenue project and have struck up an excellent working relationship with them.

“It is also great to work on local projects with our head office near Flimby less than three miles away from the build site."

Last year Home Group received 81 bids on four different one and two bedroom properties in Ewanrigg and Grasslot.

The need for smaller properties increased after the introduction of the so-called "bedroom tax" where people receiving housing benefits lost part of their funding if they had unoccupied bedrooms.

However, Allerdale council's 2016 housing needs survey revealed that there was now a surplus of 17 such properties.

Despite the change, Home Group said there was still a need for its development.