Construction has begun to transform the former Paddock House site in Eye into affordable housing, with 16 new homes planned for local residents.

Mid Suffolk District Council has appointed Rose Builders to deliver a mix of properties for shared ownership and affordable rent on the redundant care home land.

Paddock House, on Wellington Road, was previously a 30-bed care home and day centre. It closed more than 12 years ago and was demolished in 2023, leaving the plot unused. The district council bought the site from Suffolk County Council to help address local demand for affordable homes. The scheme will provide six one-bedroom flats, six two-bedroom houses and four three-bedroom houses.

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Mid Suffolk's cabinet member for housing, Cllr Richard Winch, and local ward councillor, Lucy Elkin, joined Rose Builders' Jack Mabbutt and Justyn French to mark the ground-breaking. Cllr Winch said: "We have always known that the Paddock House site presented an excellent opportunity to provide much needed affordable local housing for Eye, but we needed to find the best solution for the local community. After extensive consultation and engagement, it's great to see the project now starting to take shape."

The homes are expected to be completed by mid 2027.