A council's crusade against homelessness has been given a major boost after its plans to build 65 new houses and flats were passed.

And more than 80% of them will be affordable or shared ownership.

Dover District Council made an application to its own planning department to build the homes off Godwyne Road, Dover.

The planning committee last night voted unanimously for the scheme.

Cllr James Back, who moved the officers' recommendation to grant permission said: "This development will provide much needed affordable housing."

Cllr Marjorie Ovenden said: "I am pleased to see this coming forward after the time the plot of land was left vacant.

"It has one to two bedroomed flats, which we desperately need."

The application is for the sites of the now-demolished buildings, William Muge and Snelgrove Houses, which were sheltered accommodation until they closed nearly a decade ago.

The site is on land between Godwyne Road, Harold Street and Leyburne Road.

William Muge House will be replaced by 29 affordable one and two bedroomed flats and three houses.

The Snelgrove site will have 24 shared ownership flats and nine houses.

The flats will also be one and two bedroomed ones and would again be below the market value.

The houses will be for private sale.

The percentage of affordable housing is 45%, way above the council's desired figure of 30% for a development.

An officers' report said: "The council currently has less than a five year supply of housing and an addition of 65 units would make a useful contribution to that supply.

"The two forms of tenure would provide an important boost in the supply of affordable housing.

Dover Town Council and the Dover Society both support the scheme.

But the civic group warned that parking in the area was difficult at present with a lot of workers using on-street spaces.

It said the pressure was likely to increase when parking charges are introduced at the nearby St James' Retail and Leisure centre.

Owners Legal & General have confirmed that this will happen but have not yet given a start date.

Seven of the households consulted on the scheme also raised concerns about parking.

Planning officers concluded that the development would not in itself add to existing on-street parking problems.

For instances there will be 52 news spaces for the total 53 flats.

Dover District Council leader Keith Morris, who was elected last October ,had from the beginning said tackling homelessness was a key priority for his administration.

Early this year he had announced that 51 new modular homes would be built by late 2019, with the exact locations to be confirmed.

Three properties in Folkestone Road, Dover, had already been bought to create nine new flats.