West Dunbartonshire Council has approved plans to demolish vacant and surplus properties in Bellsmyre, Dumbarton, to create space for a £3.6m project building 36 new council homes.

Councillors agreed to the demolition of properties at Aitkenbar Drive, Auchenreoch Avenue, Penniecroft Avenue and Whiteford Avenue at a meeting of the Housing, Environment and Economic Development Committee.

Bellysmre has been classified by the Council as priority area for regeneration and this project will not only remove buildings that are bringing down the area's appearance, but also replace them with modern attractive homes.

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The new homes form part of plans announced last year to build 75 new council houses across the area. 15 of which have already begun elsewhere. Architects have now begun designing the new Bellsmyre homes. A public consultation on the new development will be held in the near future.

Councillor David McBride said: "The demolition of these surplus properties is well overdue, and will happen more quickly than expected thanks to the Council’s decision to scrap the Stock Transfer plans. Demolishing these properties will clear the land for 36 badly-needed new council homes."

Councillor Lawrence O’Neill, added: "This will allow the Council to plan for further new council homes and social housing in an area where regeneration is a priority - big steps towards ensuring that the Council’s housing stock meets the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by 2015."

Discussions are in progress with some remaining tenants at Whiteford Avenue, which was only classified as surplus in June this year, to decide how to re-house them.

(NE)