Controversial plans for 42 new homes on former school playing fields in Letchworth have been given the green light.

Landowner Hertfordshire County Council has been given the green light for the scheme on the former Norton School Playing Fields site.

The local authority recently had an appeal dismissed for a similar development, after North Herts Council had refused a previous planning application.

Some 39 neighbours objected to the updated proposals, but they have been approved by the district council.

"The proposals would be a sustainable form of development and would comply with national and local planning policy and guidance," the report signing off on the plans said.

A reserved matters application must be submitted before development can begin.

The school permanently closed in 2003.

"The proposed housing layout builds on the core principles of the garden city by providing generously sized plots for family houses and wide green street verges planted with trees, resulting in a low density sub-urban character," the application said. 

"In addition to tree lined streets, a generous public open green space is included at the eastern end of the site, over-looked by large houses, in a similar arrangement as can be found elsewhere in the town e.g. Westholm Green."

See the full application here.