Half a million pounds has been given to Wycombe District Council to help pay for the clean-up of a "contaminated" former allotments site so park homes can be built there. 

The cash boost from the Government's Land Release Fund (LRF) will go towards clearing up Bassetsbury Allotments in Bassetsbury Lane so 40 park homes can be built there.  

The £500,000 funding will be used to improve ground conditions at the site, which was shut down in 2013 when it was found to be contaminated and “unfit” for use as allotments after Vanadium, Cadmium and Benzo(a)pyrene were discovered in the soil.

The 40 new single-storey park homes - which would have to be built off-site and transported in due to the poor quality of the soil - could be aimed at people over the age of 55 who want to downsize. 

The district council earlier estimated the clean-up of the site could cost up to £1 million. 

Cllr Katrina Wood, leader of Wycombe District Council, said: “We always knew that remediation works to bring the Bassetsbury Triangle site back into use would be costly, so it’s great news that we’ll be getting a helping hand through our successful bid from the LRF.

"We need to make the best use of available sites to provide much needed, more affordable housing for local people.”

In his letter to the council confirming the funding, Dominic Raab MP, Minister of State for Housing, said: “We are looking forward to working with you to progress Bassetsbury, which will release much needed land for new homes, and I welcome the ambitious plans for growth set out in your bid.”