At the start on site ceremony at the site of seven new affordable homes on Kett's Hill in Norwich are (from left) councillor Cate Oliver, cabinet member for environmental services at Norwich City Council, Chris Ewbank, Broadland Housing Association chairman, councillor Gail Harris, cabinet member for social housing at Norwich City Council and Andrew Savage, executive development director for Broadland Housing Association - Credit: Newman Associates PR

Diggers have rolled on to the site of a former pub to create seven new homes to help the homeless.

Work has started on the £1.3m project in Kett's Hill and the one-bedroom affordable homes are being built by Broadland Housing Association.

Norwich City Council gave the land to the housing association after the closure of Virtuoso, previously known as Ketts Tavern.

The new builds will be aimed at the homeless and are expected to be finished by autumn this year.

How the new seven homes will look in Kett's Hill when finished - Credit: Broadland Housing Association

Andrew Savage, executive development director of Broadland Housing Association, said: "This project builds on the continual partnership working between the city council and Broadland Housing Association in tackling some of the most difficult sites and developments to bring much needed affordable accommodation to the city.

“These much-needed homes will once again be built to the high quality standards we have for all our homes.  

"These new homes, in the heart of Norwich on a disused piece of land, will ensure that more people leave the streets and can have a home to call their own.”

They are being built using a timber-framed method meaning they can go up quickly and the whole process uses less carbon.

Each home will have its own front door and garden and the Kett's Hill project is the second time Broadland Housing Association has worked with the council to build accommodation in this way for the homeless.

The organisations were behind six prefab flats in Lakenfields, Lakenham, which were built in three days last year to support people on the streets.

Webster Court flats in Lakenfields, Lakenham, built by Broadland Housing Association and Norwich City Council - Credit: Brittany Woodman/Archant

Deputy council leader and cabinet member for social housing, Gail Harris, who represents Labour for Catton Grove ward, said: "As at Lakenfields, this site will soon provide high quality, affordable housing for those in desperate need of accommodation and support – another small development which will transform lives.”

Chris Stammers, director and architect at Ingleton Wood, which is leading the design element of the build, said the homes were a "contemporary take on a traditional terrace" and would "support for those in desperate housing need across Norwich".

The project is being funded from a Homes England grant via the Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme.