WORK is underway on the site of a new housing development.

Construction firm Wates Group was contracted last year to build 140 high-quality homes in Lowfield Green, and have now moved on to the site where preliminary work is taking place.

Wates is a leading privately-owned construction, development and property services company, established in 1897 and in its fourth generation of family ownership.

City of York Council is redeveloping Lowfield Green which will feature 140 new houses, 19 homes to be built by the city's first housing cooperative and six self-build plots.

In a UK first for a council-led development, land has been allocated specifically to enable first-time buyers to build their own homes.

Lowfield Green is the first of eight sites included in the authority's biggest house-building programme since the 1970s. It will consist of starter and family homes, wheelchair-accessible bungalows and apartments for over-55s. Forty per cent of homes will be affordable, half will be council housing and half for shared ownership.