ONE of the area's largest housing associations, Fortis Living, is keen to put social housing on Ledbury's cricket club site.

Planning permission has recently been granted for 100 new homes on the site, off New Street, and 40 per cent of those will be social and affordable housing.

Duncan Smith, the assistant director for growth and development at Fortis said this week: "We would be looking at a majority of rented homes and some shared ownership."

Mr Smith explained that other housing associations would be able to bid, when the properties are offered to them "in a kind of competition".

But he added: "I would be happy to put forward a competitive bid."

Mr Smith also welcomed the 40 per cent quota for affordable and social housing at the site, calling it "fantastic".

He said: "I welcome this. Ledbury is a high value area and is desperate for more affordable houses."

The Silverwood Partnership and Enterprise Inns, which owns the present ground of the cricket club, behind the Full Pitcher, off New Street, submitted the planning application for 100 new houses on the site last summer.

Permission was granted earlier this month, subject to conditions, including access and roundabout alterations on the Full Pitcher roundabout.

Ledbury Cricket Club will move to a new purpose-built ground off the Ross Road, which should be ready for the 2016 season.

Ledbury town councillor, Tony Bradford, has been making a point of contacting local associations to make them aware of the new opportunity at the cricket club site.

He said: "My emphasis is on social housing . We have had no significant development of social housing in Ledbury for 35 years, and here is an opportunity.

"I am not going to rest over this one. I think the issue is too important for that."