Land with planning permission for nine houses has been sold after being vacant for more than five years.

The site, next to the library on Swan Street, in Sible Hedingham, was sold at auction by Auction House London last Wednesday for £500,000.

It was not possible to contact the new owners of the land before going to press.

In May, Braintree Council granted permission for two blocks of terraced housing comprising of nine houses with gardens and twenty car parking spaces to be built on the site.