A celebration was held to mark the opening on 15 new affordable homes and a church centre in Granton by Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA).

The Association bought the Granton United Church site in 2010 and was committed to providing a centre for a local congregation as part of its building plans. The development has been shortlisted for a Scottish Home Award for Community Partnership of the Year.

There are two one-bedroom, 10 two-bedroom and three three-bedroom flats. More than two–thirds of the properties feature Solar Thermal Heating provided by panels located on the roof.

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An opening ceremony was held at the Granton United Church on Wednesday April 25 and was attended by around 30 people including PoLHA representatives, contractors and tenants, as well as local MSP Malcolm Chisholm.

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of PoLHA, said: "This site is one that's completely unique for us incorporating a church. We are delighted to have been able to develop a centre as part of our plans.

"Creating communities in which people want to live is more than simply providing a roof over people's heads: It's providing good-quality, energy efficient housing people are proud of; it's supporting individuals and families and local groups to help bring people together and be a community."

The church has around 35 members. Treasurer Ted Wallace said:

The main contractor was J Smart & Co, the architect Lee Boyd Architects, the engineer was David R Murray, quantity surveyor Hardies Property & Construction Consultants, the CDM Scott Bennett Associates and M&E Engineer Max Fordham Consulting Engineers.

(CD)