Aberdeen City Council has appointed top construction company Robertson to build council homes in Phase 3 of the council's new-build housing programme.

Work is due to start early next month [April 2011] on the site of the former Croft House care home at Oldcroft Place in Stockethill.

Robertson will create a Homezone scheme with a courtyard layout with sheltered, usable external spaces that will encourage social interaction. More than a third of the site will be retained as public amenity space which will enhance the surrounding area.

A total of 31 properties will be built that will have a mix of home types and sizes including two bedroom flats and three bedroom family homes. They will be environmentally sustainable, good quality properties with parking spaces provided within the Homezone.

The Homezone aims to change the way streets are used and to improve the quality of life by making the areas safe for people, not just traffic with the needs of drivers secondary to the needs of other users of the street.

By limiting the volume and speed of traffic the zones create a safe environment for play, relaxation and for residents to meet up.

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Work is due for completion at Oldcroft Place in April 2012.

Aberdeen City Council's Housing and Environment Convener Aileen Malone said: "In today's severe economic climate the demand for social housing is increasing so it is wonderful to see the progress being made towards developing the first mainstream family housing in over 30 years.

"By working in partnership with first-class construction companies we will provide housing for the 21st century which is high quality, sustainable, energy efficient and incorporates a degree of flexibility to meet the future needs of tenants."

Robertson spokesperson Sean O'Callaghan said: "Over the past 40 years we've built more than 4,000 social affordable homes across Scotland, and we're delighted that we've been asked to continue to work with Aberdeen City Council to deliver quality social housing for the city's residents.

"We look forward to starting construction in a few weeks, and to have these 31 new homes ready to welcome residents by next summer."

Elsewhere in Aberdeen work is near completion on Phase 1 of the new-build programme, which will see the creation of up to 85 new homes at Hayton Road in Tillydrone, Byron Court in Northfield and Rorie Court in Cults. The first tenants are expected to move in this summer [2011].

Phase 2 is also well under way with the creation of 35 family homes at Marchburn Drive due for completion in December 2011.

Aberdeen City Council's new-build programme (for all three phases) is being funded by the housing revenue account and £3,030,000 of the Scottish Government's Incentivising New Council House Building monies. The Oldcroft Place development has received £930,000 (£30,000 per unit) of New Build grant monies from the Scottish Government.

The council plans to continue to build more new homes both for general needs and special needs which will make a significant contribution to meeting the requirements and demands of its citizens which should help stop the flow of households moving from the city to Aberdeenshire.

(GK/KMcA)