THE Westbridge refuse depot site at Plymouth Road, Tavistock is to be used for social housing, providing up to 20 new homes.

West Devon Borough Council's strategic development committee voted last week to sell the site at less than the maximum price which it could fetch in order to support its social housing policy .

Deputy chief executive David Inman said the site was very attractive for the purpose as it was close to the town and on a bus route.

'It would be unfortunate to let the opportunity go,' he said.

The site is no longer big enough for the refuse operation, but Biffa, the current service provider, will be invited to stay there until the re-development starts.

West Devon Homes, the housing company set up by the council, has expressed an interest in the project and several other developers are expected to do so, the committee heard.

Cllr Nicholas Waterhouse supported the recommendation from the housing officers.

'There is a large shortfall in local housing to meet our needs,' he said.

Principal planner Chris Dunford told the committee that government rules had increased the required density of new houses from 25 to 30. The Government Office for the South West had asked the council to review its housing proposals. To disregard the government's advice could lead to even higher densities being imposed, he warned.

'We recommend that you should aim for 30 per hectare, but leave the flexibility to go lower in some places and higher in others,'he said.

The subject will be debated by the committee again on March 20.

The committee also voted to keep the freehold of Springhill, the Tavistock hostel for the homeless, rather than sell it to the Westcountry Housing Association. Housing Services Manager Marion Playle recommended that the committee renegotiate the terms of the lease with WHA. If the council did not own the premises, the covenant restricting use to housing the homeless could be removed, she warned. 'We need it for the homeless,' she said.

The hostel's bedsit accommodation at Springhill closed down last year and a revamping programme is planned.

A survey last year highlighted a big gap between house-building plans and projected housing need in West Devon. The council has undertaken to build 1,900 new homes, as well as the 2,000 under construction, to fulfil the order by Devon County to build 4,100 by 2011. A public inquiry into the plans is likely next year.