Cumbria County Council is helping provide around 25 new affordable homes for local people in the Brampton and Cockermouth areas.
The county council is selling two prime sites with planning conditions attached that mean housing developers must provide 25 per cent of the residential developments for affordable housing for local people.
One of the sites is the former highways depot at Station Road, Brampton. The site covers almost two acres and is being sold with full planning permission for 23 residential units with an obligation for the developer to make at least six homes available as affordable housing for rent by local people.
The site will be sold by way of a sealed bids with offers in excess of £1,750,000.
The county council has worked with Carlisle City Council on assessing the appropriate number and type of affordable homes for the site.
The other site is the highways depot at Sullart Street in Cockermouth. The 4.66 acre site is being sold with outline planning permission for a minimum of 76 residential units with a requirement that developers make 25 per cent available for affordable housing for local people.
Sullart Street is for sale by sealed bids in excess of £3,500,000.
Any developer buying the site close to Cockermouth town centre will be bound by a contract which requires them to make 25 per cent of the new homes available as affordable housing in a plan which must be agreed with Allerdale Borough Council.
Ian Stewart, county council cabinet member responsible for property, said: "We are trying to help tackle the shortage of affordable housing in these areas. But we also have a legal duty to get good value for the county's council tax payers when we sell public assets like these. We think we have struck the right balance between the two."
The deadline for sealed offers for the Brampton site is noon, 17th October. The deadline for bids on the Cockermouth site is noon, 14th November. Further property information and details for potential buyers are available from David Kirkwood at Capita Symonds on 01228 673247.
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