Government Minister Alex Neil visited a new council house development in East Lothian recently.

Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil was welcomed to the new Brunt Place and James Court development of East Lothian Council homes in Dunbar on Wednesday by Councillor Stuart Currie, Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety.

The first three phases of the development have been completed and tenants have already moved in to their new homes - the first development of council housing in Dunbar since 1974.

The area was allocated for housing in the East Lothian Local Plan 2005. Planning permission was granted on 9 January 2009 and work began in August that year. Ogilvie Construction Ltd was awarded the £7.4m contract following a competitive tender process.

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The finished site will comprise 88 properties, ranging from one-bedroom flats to three-bedroom houses. There will also be two- and three-bedroom wheelchair properties. All of the homes will be built to meet the appropriate Housing for Varying Needs standards.

All of the properties have received a £25,000 subsidy from the Scottish Government's Incentivising New Council Build Funding.

Councillor Stuart Currie, Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety at East Lothian Council, said: "We were delighted to welcome Mr Neil to Dunbar this morning to see the completed first phases of this development and to meet some of the tenants. East Lothian Council is committed to providing high-quality, modern and attractive homes for our tenants and we are happy to be funding this along with significant help from the Scottish Government. This Dunbar development is just one of the excellent building projects we are currently undertaking."

Alex Neil said: "Scottish Government funding has helped local authorities to continue to reverse the decades of decline in council house building. That is good news for families across the country that want access to high quality, affordable homes. This government will continue to work hard to safeguard jobs, support the construction industry and keep the economy moving."

The Minister and Councillor Currie met tenants Raymond and Ella Walker, who moved from an unsuitable upper floor flat to a ground floor flat.

(GK)