A run-down site in St Albans city centre is set to be redeveloped into social housing.

St Albans District Council is pushing ahead with proposals to demolish Charter Market depot in Drover's Way and replace it with much-needed housing.

The council has carried out a study which it says shows it would be "financially viable" to regenerate the site with a new modern four-storey building.

This would include commercial space on the ground floor for a market office and market equipment storage, while the remaining three floors would contain nine flats for social rent and 15 flats for rent at market rate to help pay for the project.

Councillor Robert Donald says regeneration will also help make the area "much more attractive".

Details of the scheme were given to a meeting of the council’s Cabinet on Thursday, which the Cabinet approved.

The next step is to appoint a construction contractor.

The move coincides with a revamp of the twice-weekly historic Charter Market which will be going to consultation shortly.

Councillor Donald, portfolio holder for commercial, development and wellbeing, said: "The exciting project to redevelop the depot site has the potential to provide much-needed new housing and regenerate another part of Drovers Way to make this a much more attractive area in the very heart of our city.

"One of our top priorities as an administration is to provide more social rented housing for those on lower incomes. This project will provide a useful number of flats at social rent levels to help people we need to retain locally to keep our local economy, essential services and community running but who can’t afford high private sector rents.

"The project is also intended to bring further improvement to an area of the city which has been neglected for too long.

"It will complement and add to the recent nearby redevelopments which have already enhanced the street scene."