Work on the first new mainstream council homes to be built in Aberdeen for over 30 years was marked on Friday, with a sod-cutting ceremony.

Community representatives and local schoolchildren will join councillors and officials at the Hayton Road site, where Stewart Milne Construction will build 30 new homes as part of the first phase of Aberdeen City Council's new-build housing programme.

The Hayton Road properties will be a mix of home types and sizes, including two and three-bedroom family properties and will provide much-needed new housing in Tillydrone.

Housing and Environment convener Councillor Aileen Malone said: "This is a really exciting day for the council and for Tillydrone. We are privileged to be in a position to see new, much-needed social housing develop and take shape, particularly given that it has been such a long time since Aberdeen City Council built new council homes.

"I'm sure that everyone who is waiting for an affordable rented home will be as excited as I am at the prospect of these homes being built and becoming habitable. This will be a great boon to many families who are waiting for affordable rented housing in Aberdeen.

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"I look forward to welcoming the first families into these new properties, which will be completed to a high standard, in 2011."

Vice-convener Mark McDonald added: "This is another important step on the road to developing new affordable council homes, which will help to regenerate the communities where they are being built.

"Many people, myself included, have grown up in a time when council housing was sold off, and never built, now we are building again to provide homes for the people of Aberdeen and I think that is truly exciting."

Stewart Milne Construction has also commenced work on new council homes in Cults and Northfield. Work there is also underway.

Twenty eight new properties, including three and four-bedroom family homes will be built at Byron Park in Northfield. The development will be a Homezone scheme with a courtyard layout to encourage social interaction and create sheltered, useable external spaces.

Twenty seven amenity-standard flats will be built at Rorie Hall. They will be one and two bedroom properties with gardens for the ground floor residents and balconies on the first and second floors. The development will include communal and private outdoor space for the residents.

All of the properties will be built to a high standard and will be environmentally sustainable, quality homes.

Housing and environment director Pete Leonard said: "This marks the beginning of a long term programme of development and regeneration in Tillydrone and in other areas of the city.

"I am delighted that the council team and its partners have been able to develop a scheme of such high quality for the benefit of the citizens of Aberdeen."

Aberdeen City Council's new-build programme is being funded by the housing revenue account and £2.1million of the Scottish Government's Incentivising new Council House Building monies.

Work on phase two of the new-build project has begun with the demolition of the former Marchburn Infant School.

(GK)