A terrace of five dilapidated cottages may soon be given a new lease of life.

A facelift scheme for the cottages in Cranford Road, Burton Latimer, was approved by Kettering Borough Council’s planning sub-committee.

Some of the houses have been empty for more than ten years and the planners are anxious that the terrace should not become an eye-sore.

Three other adjoining cottages have come down to make room for car turning space and landscaped area.

The plan to restore and extend the cottages with new kitchens and garages comes from Mr C J Attley.

An earlier scheme to replace the three most derelict cottages with two new buildings was turned down because the layout was considered unsatisfactory.

But the committee has attached a whole list of conditions to the planning consent.

Among other things the materials used to build the extensions will have to match the existing cottages and the planners also demand extensive tree-planting and landscaping.