EIGHT new houses could be built on land behind a row of flats in York - under council plans to build more affordable homes.

City of York Council owns about 787 square metres of land between Fossway and Sturdee Grove, east of Huntington Road.

Housing boss Cllr Denise Craghill will be asked to agree that the council sell the land to Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT), which owns a bungalow next to the land, for £50,000.

The sale would be dependent on the housing trust getting planning permission to build eight affordable homes. People on the council's housing waiting list would be prioritised for the new houses.

A council report says there would be less communal open space behind the flats - but that King George’s Field is close by.

It says selling the land for affordable homes under the agreement would make use of unused land, make sure the new homes go to people on the housing waiting list and offer an "opportunity for residents to influence how the new smaller communal space is used".

"The land which is subject to an offer from JRHT is ‘land locked’," it says.

"JRHT own the land to the north, to the south are council homes along Fossway. JRHT’s land currently accommodates a warden’s bungalow and resident parking. JRHT intend to demolish this bungalow as part of plans to change the way they provide support for their residents and in order to maximise the capacity of the site for new affordable homes."

The plans will be discussed at a housing meeting next Thursday.