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Land at the junction of Capstan Street and Moston Lane, which is partly occupied by the area housing office, is being sold to developers Lowry Homes.

The 1.89-acre site close to Harpurhey shopping centre is part of the North Manchester Regeneration zone and has been earmarked for housing since 1996.

Development of the land is part of a housing strategy agreed in May 2000 to make the area more popular with house hunters and prevent property values falling.

Lowry Homes aim to construct 35 new homes on the land made up of a mix of five, four, three and two-bedroom houses. More than half the homes will have at least four bedrooms.

Prices will range from ?41,500 for a two-bedroom home to ?65,995 for a five-bedroom semi-detached property. Negotiations for the sale of the land are continuing with the developers.

A housing official said: "This will introduce new variety and choice in the local housing market by providing new homes on a prominent site which are both larger and of higher values than most of the existing properties in the surrounding area.

"By catering for the aspirations of a new target market the development will contribute to an upturn in confidence which should impact positively on existing properties in the surrounding area."