Solar panels and wind turbines are to be fitted to 13 new homes being built in Broad Green.

The green light was given to the eco-friendly houses in Sumner Gardens on the corner of Sumner Road and Mitcham Road at a recent meeting of the council's planning committee.

Five three bedroom, five four bedroom and three five bedroom semi-detached and terraced houses will be built and the panels will provide hot water and the turbines will cut carbon emissions.

They replace 10 single-storey, temporary houses on the site.

Councillor Dudley Mead, deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, said: "We believe the quickest and most effective way of addressing the housing shortage in the borough is through investment in council housing.

"Croydon has an excellent reputation for looking after its tenants and we welcome a new role for strong local authorities to be able to construct eco-friendly, council homes. By embarking on this new house building programme we're already leading the way."

The new homes represent a significant landmark for Croydon, as this will be the first council housing built in the borough since the 1980s.

Funding has been secured for a total of 34 properties, with further sites being considered in Fieldway, South Norwood and New Addington.