WORK to build almost 200 apartments close to the Manchester Ship Canal is well under way.

The steel structure is emerging at the former Beers Timber and Building Supplies yard on Station Road, Latchford.

Liverpool-based developer Carpenter Investments is spending £10million on building 189 homes in the three-storey units on the empty piece of land which had been blighted by vandalism.

The scheme will see 39 one-bedroom, 138 two-bedroom and 12 three-bedroom flats constructed.