New council homes built in Blairgowrie
New council houses have been completed in Blairgowrie.
Thirty-seven new homes were officially completed last week by Perth and Kinross Council at Blackthorn Place.
The development is the second phase of improvements the council is making to housing in Blairgowrie.
It includes two-bedroom, semi-detached bungalows with wet rooms for those with disabilities or mobility issues and fourbedroom, semi-detached family homes.
Housing convener Peter Barrett and viceconvener Bob Brawn, who also represents the Blairgowrie and Glens ward, visited the development last week to meet new tenant Lesley Wood.
Cllr Barrett said: “Providing muchneeded affordable housing for a variety of different kinds of tenants in communities like Blairgowrie is very important.
“All of these new homes will provide additional high-quality accommodation in the town and enhance the lives of the people who live in them.
“Providing good quality homes here will also make people want to remain living in Blairgowrie, which is good for the economy and community.
“Building more affordable housing is a key priority for Perth and Kinross Council.
“Our multi-million-pound building programme, combined with our work supporting new builds through our housing association partners, has seen over 500 additional homes delivered right across Perth and Kinross since 2012.
“This includes over 200 new council homes.
“Most of these new properties have been built in areas where there is an acute shortage of affordable housing for local people.”
As well as the new council homes, the development also includes 13 properties which will be sold on a shared-equity basis to help people get on the property ladder.
And Hillcrest Housing Association is planning to build another 34 homes for social rent on the Blackthorn Place development.
Cllr Brawn said: “When we speak to our existing tenants they consistently tell us that building new council homes is a high priority for them.
“Using some of the ring-fenced money our tenants pay to expand our housing stock is a great illustration of social housing in action.
“I’m delighted to see the latest phase of this fantastic new housing development handed over to the council.” Lesley Wood with Peter Barrett, Bob Brawn and Mark McColl