Work began this month on the development of the first council homes in 13 years in the Buchan area following a successful bid by Aberdeenshire Council for Scottish Government funding last year.

Councillor Gurudeo Saluja with residents Alexander Milne and Gordon Skene and George Parson, Managing Director of Bancon Construction in Mintlaw.

The homes are being developed at Pine View, Burnside Road and Birch Grove in Mintlaw in response to the sub-standard condition of existing properties and a need for affordable housing in the area.

Bancon construction will develop all 17 units that will be available for rent upon completion in September 2011.

Four, one-bedroom flats; ten one-bedroom bungalows and three four-bedroom houses will be built in two development phases.

Existing tenants who have been temporarily moved from existing properties will be given priority to return to the new build properties once completed.

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Mrs Edith Milne, 73, and her husband Alexander, 79, previously lived at Pine View and are living in temporary accommodation for the duration of the works.

"I am looking forward to moving into our new home, it will be like going back home really as we’ve lived at Pine View since we retired and I’m looking forward to the peace and quiet too," said Edith.

All other allocations of the remaining new properties will be made to applicants on Aberdeenshire Council housing waiting lists.

The new homes for Mintlaw form part of a programme of house building that will take place across Aberdeenshire. Homes are also being developed in Johnshaven and Tarves.

Aberdeenshire Council currently has around 7,200 people on its housing waiting list and has secured £2.75 million in total from the Scottish Government towards the cost of building new homes.

Future homes are planned for development in Laurencekirk, Stonehaven, Banff and Inverurie bringing 110 new council homes in total to Aberdeenshire that will meet the highest standards of efficiency and fuel economy.

Chairman of Aberdeenshire Council’s Social Work and Housing Committee Councillor Gurudeo Saluja said: "Affordable housing is a key priority and to be able to start work on new council homes having worked hard to secure funding is great news for us and even better news for the local community."

Vice chairman Councillor Carl Nelson added: "We are providing new homes to people on our waiting list and also meet the housing needs of the area.

"It’s an important part of the council’s policy to provide quality housing and I’m pleased to see this work taking shape."

(GK/BMcC)