New Cala projects to create hundreds of homes and jobs

● Plans outlined for three major housing developments in East Dunbartonshire

Hundreds of jobs and new homes are in the pipeline after housebuilder Cala today announced new development sites in East Dunbartonshire.

Cala Homes (West), which forms part of the Edinburghhead quartered building group, said the sites at Bishopbriggs, Lenzie and Kirkintilloch would deliver more than 440 direct construction jobs, as well as about 200 indirect employment opportunities to the local area during development.

The firm is investing close to £90 million into the trio of developments to construct 312 private and 105 affordable homes, helping to meet “ele - vated levels of demand” in the region.

Construction has recently started at a brownfield site near Jellyhill in Bishopbriggs, which is close to established housing in the Meadowburn estate.

The group is delivering 135 new homes, including 34 affordable properties, on the 19-acre site.

Construction is anticipated to begin at the other two developments, in Lenzie and Kirkintilloch, in the next few months, Cala added.

The company, which is known for its up market designs, said it was bringing to market a “variable product range of new-build housing that will satisfy demands from different buyer types”.

It is diversifying into smaller houses and developments with an increasing prop or - tion of flats geared towards the “young upwardly mobile professional and the downsizer markets”.

Jim McIntyre, man aging director of Cala Homes (West ), said :“Calais committed to creating desirable places and spaces–and it is crucially important to us that we become part of, and work with, the communities we’re helping to create.

“We do much more than brick sand mortar, the creation of nearly 450 direct fulltime employment op port unities across the three sites will boost the local economy and the hundreds of new homes will help address the high levels of demand prevalent in the local area.”

The group said it had a“significant role” to play in the future housing provisions for communities in the region, and is set to invest some £150m across eight sites as part of a major long-term commitment.

As these developments come forward, the housebuilder will account for an estimated 23 per cent of housing supply in Milngavie, Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Lenzie and Kirkintilloch.

Last summer, Cala flagged “another year of strong momentum”.

The firm, which is behind a string of luxury developments including the conversion of Edinburgh’s former Donaldson’s College into a residential project, also revealed that 29 new sites had been contracted during the year with a potential gross development value of £1.1 billion.

Cala started as the City of Aberdeen Land Association in 1875.

sreid@scotsman.com