FIRST Phase Of Slaemuir Housing Transformation Celebrated
From left, housing minister Kevin Stewart, resident Anne Deighan, Allan Callaghan of Cruden, RCH chair Jillian Moffat, Stuart McMillan MSP.
SCOTLAND’S housing minister Kevin Stewart visited Slaemuir in Port Glasgow to hand over the final house of a new £5million, 28-home development to its new resident, Anne Deighan.
Two years ago, River Clyde Homes completed a consultation exercise to gather residents’ views on the future of the 13 maisonette blocks in Slaemuir. Most owners and tenants wanted the blocks to be demolished and replaced with new homes.
The completed 28 properties are just the first phase and, once the next two phases are built, the overall Slaemuir development will comprise 96 new homes, built in partnership with the Scottish Government and Cruden Building and Renewals.
This is the latest development in River Clyde Homes’s ambitious plans to build up to 750 new homes over the next five years. They are the first to meet ‘RCH+’ standard, which will mean all properties will have a common design standard, across all new-build sites.
The standards aim to ensure that all homes:
— Are wheelchair-adaptable
— Meet the needs of changing family needs
— Sustainable and energy efficient
— Safe and secure
— High quality, but affordable.
Mr Stewart said: “I am delighted to visit the first phase of 28 completed new homes at Slaemuir, supported by over £2 million of Scottish Government funding. They provide affordable, wheelchair-adaptable and good quality social rented housing in the Port Glasgow area. I was particularly impressed by the extensive involvement of the local community in developing proposals for the regeneration of the area. This development is testament to the powerful impact of partnership working.”
Jillian Moffat, chair of the River Clyde Homes Board, said: “These are magnificent homes. We are committed to building new homes that are accessible and adaptable to suit the changing needs of our customers over time.”
Managing director of Cruden Building, Allan Callaghan, said: “We are delighted to have completed the first stage of the Slaemuir development in Port Glasgow, building 28 high quality and energy efficient new homes. We are now in the process of building on the cleared site to providing a further 68 new homes as we replace all of the low-rise blocks and breathe new life into this area.”
He added: “Our collaborative approach, working with River Clyde Homes on a number of developments, has ensured that we meet the needs of the community, in terms of quality housing and the legacy that we leave on the Inverclyde area.”
Anne Deighan, who was involved in the steering group from the beginning, said of her new home: “It’s great! I lived in one of the low-rise blocks and am looking forward to not having to climb four flights of stairs. My son Daniel (14) is looking forward to taking charge of the garden in the summer. The place is really warm compared to where we were and we’re excited about spending our first Christmas in our new home.”
Stuart McMillan, MSP, said: “I’m delighted that the Housing Minister came to see for himself the excellent developments being built in Inverclyde by River Clyde Homes. Not only is the local housing association helping the Scottish Government reach its target of building 50,000 new affordable homes over this Parliamentary term, but it is also aiding regeneration projects and improving living conditions in my constituency.”
The next phase of the Slaemuir regeneration is about to begin, with the demolition of three 1960s blocks to create space for 36 new homes.
A 20-home development in Mallard Bowl in south west Greenock is expected to be handed over by the end of the year and site works will begin soon for a development of flats at James Watt Dock, Greenock.
