BUILDING work has commenced on a disused hotel site, beginning its transformation into a housing development.

Sixteen houses are to be built on the former Berkeley Vale Hotel site in Stone.

Planning permission was granted to transform the derelict hotel into a housing development at the start of last year.

Heavy machinery has been arriving on site to clear debris and start demolition work.

The buildings – which have stood empty for around ten years – will now be levelled to make way for 11 houses and five affordable units.

It has taken more than a decade to get new plans for the site into action.

Plans to retain part of the pub in proposals for 11 homes were rejected in 2005, and since then the site has had permission for two residential transformations, both of which fell through.

Eleven of the homes in Casa La Ro Ho Ltd's development will have four or five bedrooms, while five apartments, for affordable social renting, will have one or two bedrooms.

New access is to be built, along with parking areas on site.