KENNET councillors and members of the Mental After Care Association visited a new development in Marlborough on Friday to see work progressing on 13 new social homes.

They are being built in Angel Yard, on part of the former Tannery site, by Raglan Housing Association. It will be the first scheme in Marlborough.

Large quantities of contaminated soil have had to be removed from the site of the old leather works before work could start on the foundations of the new development.

Raglan is undertaking the scheme in partnership with site owners Kennet District Council, which purchased the old tannery site, part of which forms an extension to the Waitrose car park.

Three flats, to be managed by the Mental After Care Association which will provide support for the residents, are already taking shape at the High Street end of the site.

The remaining ten one and two-bedroom flats will help to meet the shortage of affordable accommodation in Marlborough.

The prime location means that town centre amenities will be on the doorstep for the new tenants.

Coun Jenny Combe, Kennet District Council chairman, was joined by district council colleagues Coun Nick Fogg and Coun Tony Skittrall for the tour of the site.

Coun Combe said she was delighted that the development of affordable accommodation was finally underway.

She said: "I have been involved with this scheme for quite a long time.

"I was chairman of the Kennet District Council planning committee when this site was a redundant tannery.

"Kennet has invested a great amount of resources in this important scheme, as has our partner the Raglan Housing Association.

"It has traditionally been very difficult to provide affordable housing in Marlborough because of the extremely high land values, so this is a particularly important project."

The £1.1 million scheme is due for completion by contractors CJ Leighton during the early summer of 2005.