Work has begun on a site in Sale where a former magistrates' court used to sit to make way for dozens of new and affordable homes.

The one-hectare site is situated off Ashton Lane and Washway Road and has been vacant for years.

The Magistrates Court was forced to close in 2016 after the government outlined a scheme to centralise services across the country.

Now, however, the abandoned brownfield site is being put to good use with work currently underway to build a new residential development for dozens of homes.

Trafford Council granted planning permission to build the development last year which will see 84 new homes being built with close links to the town centre.

At least 21 of the homes are earmarked as 'affordable' for residents, of which 13 will be flats for affordable rent and eight will be houses for shared ownership.

The council purchased the site, situated on a key arterial route within the borough, from Homes England to redevelop the land and to provide new residential properties that sit close to the town centre.

Councillor Liz Patel, Trafford Council's executive member for economy and regeneration, as well as Richard Roe, the Council's corporate director of place, have recently visited the site to see how work is progressing.

Cllr Patel said: “It was really good to visit the site and see the work taking place for ourselves.

"This is a flagship scheme in the centre of the town and meets the council’s policy of building more housing on brownfield sites, including affordable homes.

“There is a terrible shortage of housing nationally and, as a council, we are pushing ahead and building as many new homes as we can.

"Thank you to everyone working on this scheme and I look forward to returning next year to see how it is progressing.”