Work has now completed on the first phase of council homes in Mintlaw – the first affordable homes to be developed in the area for 13 years.

Ten homes have been developed at Pine View, Mintlaw to replace previous properties and meet affordable housing needs in the area. A further seven homes will also be built in Burnside Road and Birch Grove, Mintlaw.

Chairman of Aberdeenshire Council’s Social Work and Housing Committee Councillor Gurudeo Saluja was at the official unveiling last week (Wednesday, November 17).

“Affordable housing is a key priority for the council and to see these homes in Mintlaw and other areas being completed is fantastic and a boost to the community.

“The quality is outstanding and tenants will, I am sure, be happy also to finally see the result of months of work by the council and developer,” he said.

Vice chairman Councillor Carl Nelson added: “To be able to offer new homes to people in the local area, help people on our housing waiting list and see them finally receive the keys is a proud moment.

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”Providing quality affordable housing is a major priority and now this project at Mintlaw is complete and others across the area too, it’s great to see the end result.”

Bancon Construction is the developer on the projects and the remaining homes will be available for rent upon completion around late summer 2011.

A total of four, one-bedroom flats; ten one-bedroom bungalows and three four-bedroom houses will be built over the two development phases.

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

Councillors were shown round the new properties at an event to mark the completion of the first phase of works.

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

The new homes at Mintlaw form part of a programme of house building that has taken place across Aberdeenshire. Homes were recently completed in Tarves and properties in Johnshaven are expected to be completed later this year.

Aberdeenshire Council currently has around 7,200 people on its housing waiting list and has secured over £4 million in total from the Scottish Government towards the cost of building new homes.

Future homes are planned for development subject to the award of statutory planning consent in Laurencekirk, Stonehaven, Banff, Inverurie, Cruden Bay and Alford. The new council homes throughout Aberdeenshire will meet the highest standards of efficiency and fuel economy.

(GK)