Construction work has started on a major council housing project to revitalise an estate in Mansfield.

Mansfield District Council's £7.7 million redevelopment scheme on the Bellamy estate will see 22 high quality affordable homes built, to be rented to families on the council's housing list.

Part of the estate's upgrade is already complete with a new play park and learn-to-ride cycle track opening earlier this year.

The next stage, led by Mercer Building Solutions, will see the construction of eco-friendly, affordable houses built around the newly installed village green area.

It will see the demolition of existing shops and five flats in Egmanton Road and a new single-storey parade of retail outlets with a convenience store, café and takeaway built to replace them.

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There will also be a community orchard planted and a new traffic-calmed through road connecting Thorpe Road and Egmanton Road, which will allow for improved bus connections through this part of the estate.

The project will support new employment and supply chain opportunities for local people and businesses, in line with the council's procurement policy.

Cllr Anne Callaghan, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: "It is so exciting to see this major project taking shape. It will make a massive difference to the quality of life for everyone on this estate as well as providing fantastic, much needed, high quality new homes for families.

"This has been a complex project to bring together and Mansfield District Council staff deserve a lot of credit for their work behind the scenes."

The council's in-house architects have designed the homes in line with government carbon reduction targets and the Future Homes Standard, which is expected to be adopted nationally by 2025.

The standard requires new homes to have low-carbon heating and high energy efficiency, resulting in considerably lower carbon dioxide emissions than properties built to current Building Regulations.

The houses, comprising three four-bedroom semi-detached houses, eight three-bedroom semi-detached houses, nine two-bedroom semi-detached houses and two two-bedroom detached houses, will be offered at affordable rents and will be owned and managed by Mansfield District Council.

The work is expected to be completed in phases over the next couple of years.