Building hopes
More council houses get underway
Work is getting underway this month on new council houses in Fernhill.
They are among more than 600 new council homes are to be built in South Lanarkshire, to help with the shortage of affordable housing in the area.
South Lanarkshire Council’s proposals to deliver the 600 new council homes for rent were highlighted in their latest Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2015-2020, which was approved at the housing and technical resources committee last week.
The SHIP is a five-year plan that is used by the Scottish Government to help inform the allocation of its funding to the council for investment in new affordable housing.
The Council has committed to building 500 new homes by 2020 but, in addition to these, work is already underway this year on developing 102 additional properties on three sites across South Lanarkshire.
Construction work will start in December on 70 homes in Fernhill, plus another 22 properties at Belmont Drive, East Kilbride, and work started on 28 homes in Baird Hill, East Kilbride in September.
Ann Gee, executive director of housing and technical sesources, said: “The council is committed to increasing the number of homes to rent across South Lanarkshire.
“These 600 new properties will be a major boost to our work to address the shortage of affordable housing in the area.
“Demand for homes to rent continues to grow and these new homes will help meet local needs.
“The three developments that are starting this year are in areas where there is particular pressure for social housing, and they will add to the 105 new council homes that have been built since 2012, making a real difference in our communities and in challenges that we face.”
Fifty-two of the 70 new properties to
meeting
the be built in Fernhill are included in the 102 new council homes where work is already underway.