Plans to build more than 40 homes on a former pottery site in Stoke-on-Trent have been approved.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has given the green light to the proposals to build 43 properties on land near to Woodbank Street, Baptist Street and Bournes Bank in Burslem.
The development, at the former Acme Marls Ltd site, includes three rare bottle kilns, known as the Three Sisters, which will be repaired and restored as part of the proposals.
that the kilns are thought to be the last surviving examples of down-draught ovens remaining in the city.
A report to the council's planning committee meeting said: "The site is one of several that is being brought forward with the benefit of the housing infrastructure capital grant fund (HIF), which was awarded to the city council to unlock stalled housing sites within Burslem.
"The development would support the delivery of housing on a brownfield site, located in close proximity to the centre of Burslem, which is supported at both a local and national policy level. Such development would support the ongoing regeneration and economic development of the city and Burslem.
"However, there are several elements of the scheme which give significant weight against the proposal in the planning balance. The proposal lacks any affordable housing and offers no developer contributions to support of local education infrastructure."
The plan is to build 43 two-storey family homes - 31 two-bed homes and 12 three-bed homes - which will all boast at least one or two car parking spaces.
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Agent Bill Fulster said: "The scheme will provide 43 much-needed family homes close to the centre of Burslem. The scheme will bring back into beneficial use a derelict, vacant and overgrown brownfield site in a highly sustainable location.
"The scheme will help fund the conservation and preservation of the Grade II-listed ‘Three Sisters’ bottle kilns. The applicant has provided details of works proposed to the kilns and will also create a management company and provide it with an annual dowry to manage and maintain the kilns.
"A service charge will be raised, similar to an annual ground rent, to help supplement the dowry to help towards future costs of conservation of the kilns and common area. For a two-bedroom property, it’s likely to be £125 per annum, and for a three-bedroom property £150 per annum."
The planning application was unanimously approved by councillors.
Committee member David Evans said: "It's important the three bottle kilns are preserved. I welcome that. I would urge the developer to make sure these bottle kilns are integrated into the wider site.
"We have seen a couple of schemes where bottle kilns are present around new housing and have become quite a feature. If we do it in the right way, it can improve the site."