Sheltered housing in St Albans will be redeveloped into 16 affordable homes.

The Grange in Colney Heath will be turned into 16 flats as part of St Albans City District Council’s strategy to redevelop its sheltered accommodation.

At a meeting on Friday, cabinet heard that Hightown Praetorian and Churches Housing Association has obtained planning permission to convert the building into 16 flats, which is subject to a section 106 agreement being agreed.

The site will be transferred to the housing association for refurbishment work to start in May to turn the building into eight one-bedroom, seven two-bedroom and one three-bedroom flats.

Once the flats are completed, they will be rented as general needs accommodation to people from the Council’s Housing Register.

Other council projects include Caroline Sharpe House in St Albans, Victor Smith Court, in Bricket Wood and Leacroft, Common Lane in Harpenden.

The site is currently owned by the district council and is being redeveloped by Housing 21, which has obtained planning permission to provide 21 one-bedroom and 17 two-bedroom flats. Demolition work will start in June.

The council is also consulting with tenants at Thomas Sparrow Court about the refurbishment of the existing building.

Councillor Brian Ellis, portfolio holder for housing at the council, said: "Significant progress is being made in redeveloping the council’s sheltered housing and The Grange is just the latest project to get planning approval. Planning permission has already been granted to redevelop Caroline Sharpe House and Leacroft.

"These projects will provide a mix of modern flexicare accommodation for older people and affordable general needs accommodation.

"When they are complete the homes will be occupied by people on the Council’s Housing Register or who are existing social housing tenants."