Final phase of Muirton project is under way
More than 200 homes in the pipeline for the area
Councillor Dave Doogan at the sod cutting with, from left, Grant Ager (Fairfield Housing), Julie Cosgrove (Caledonia Housing Association), Neil McKay (Urban Union) and Councillor Andrew Parrott Work to transform part of Perth’s Muirton district has taken another step forward.
A special ceremony was held recently to mark the start of the final phase of a project which will see 203 houses near to the site of St Johnstone’s former Muirton Park ground.
The development – the result of a partnership between regeneration firm Urban Union, Caledonia Housing Association (CHA) and Fairfield Housing Cooperative (FHC) – will include 102 affordable homes and 101 for private sale.
An audience of local councillors and representatives from the surrounding schools was in attendance to flag-up the progress on Wednesday last week.
Councillor Dave Doogan, convener of Perth and Kinross Council’s housing and health committee, broke the soil with a golden spade.
He declared: “The regeneration of Muirton has been a priority for the council over the last decade, and the work we have done with partner organisations during that time has totally transformed the area into a desirable area that people enjoy living in.
“The delivery of this final phase follows directly on from the recent transformation of the Muirton shops which will now be perfectly framed by these excellent new homes.
“In addition to the regeneration work that has already been carried out, this new high-quality, affordable social housing will be a valuable addition to the area, contributing muchneeded accommodation and adding vibrancy to the community.”
The development will offer a wide range of accommodation types with one, two, three and four-bedroom properties available.
Each property will include either private or shared gardens, with outdoor space and car parking facilities.
The multi-million pound project was granted planning approval by the local authority in July last year, with Urban Union appointed by Fair Citybased CHA to deliver the new homes.
Julie Cosgrove, chief executive at CHA, said: “It is fantastic to see work under way and we would like to thank the community of Muirton and our partners, Perth and Kinross Council, Fairfield Housing Cooperative and Urban Union, for their invaluable contributions and support in driving this project forward.”
FHC chief executive Grant Ager said: “Fairfield are proud to see this milestone being reached – having been involved in the project for over a decade it’s rewarding to see the fruition of the masterplan created by the Muirton community all those years ago .
“The area has changed completely and is now a highly-desirable place to stay.
“The partnership approach adopted by Fairfield, Caledonia, Perth and Kinross Council and the Scottish Government has been highly effective and we have great confidence in Urban Union in not only completing Muirton Park but giving the added value that largescale construction affords in employment and training.”
Neil McKay, managing director of Urban Union, said: “We are very excited to have started work on this next and final phase of the Muirton development and I’d like to thank Councillor Doogan and everyone from the local community who has helped support this project so far.
“Our vision for this development is one which will incorporate the character and strengths of the local area and help create a place of community in which residents will feel a sense of pride.
“As we enter this next stage, we aim to make sure the development adds value to the area in terms of both employment and training opportunities as well as a robust community engagement programme. So, not only will Muirton be a great place to call home but also an exciting place to live.”
The project is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2018.