THIRTY new homes are set to be built to give a much-needed facelift to the Horsefair area of Kidderminster.

Planners at Wyre Forest District Council have given the thumbs-up to the details of a plan which was given outline approval in September 2001.

The first phase of the redevelopment will take place on the part of the site fronting Stourbridge Road, Jerusalem Walk and Queen Street.

Sixteen two-storey houses with two bedrooms, six two-storey three-bedroom homes and eight one, two and three-bedroom flats will be built by Cox Homes.

The firm will also provide £50,000 for a play area and £12,000 for laying out and landscaping the Horsefair island.

Members of the planning (development control) committee welcomed the scheme at their meeting on Tuesday night.

Ward councillor David Gourley said: "It's good to see some form of action taking place. It's a vast improvement on what's there already."

Kidderminster mayor Ken Stokes, who represents the ward, said councillors sitting over the last 30 years should be "ashamed of themselves" for letting the area get into the state it is in.

Councillor Fran Oborski said she hoped there would be a demand for low-cost homes in the area.

Planning chief Mike Parker said there was a good mix of properties in the plan.

"This is an important phase in the regeneration of the Horsefair.

"The design is not going to win any awards but I think it's entirely appropriate for the area."

The details for the remainder of the redevelopment area, fronting Broad Street and Horsefair, will be dealt with in a later application.