A newly completed housing development by Kingdom Housing Association has won a prestigious Green Apple Environment Award.

The £1m project in Cupar's town centre conservation area, won the award in a national campaign to find Scotland's greenest companies, councils and communities.

Kingdom retained a façade of the former Bell Baxter High School at Westport to create a cutting-edge development of nine two-bedroom flats built to very high environmentally-friendly standards.

Kingdom Chair and local resident Charles Milne said: "This award is welcome recognition for our team who paid great attention to detail to produce much-needed accommodation in Cupar.

"Roof slates and sand stone were reclaimed from the demolition of the school and re-used. Ninety-five per cent of timber from the demolition was also used in local biomass plan."

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Judges were also impressed by the range of energy saving measures installed at the mid-market rental flats.

"Solar thermal panels were installed and solar energy gain was boosted by installing large south facing windows," Mr Milne added.

"Dynamic insulation technology was installed transforming the external walls into heat exchangers, capturing the escaping heat and using it to pre-warm the incoming air in order to reduce the demand for heating and cut energy bills. Whole house mechanical ventilation was also installed to improve indoor air quality and create a healthier living environment."

The development was a partnership with Fife Council, for whom Kingdom developed a further 21 homes. Mid market rent projects are relatively new and aim to offer housing to people who are struggling to buy their first home and would be a low priority for social rented housing. The rent is set at a level, between a social and a private sector rent level.

Bill Banks, Depute Chief Executive with Kingdom added: "We are delighted to have been recognised for this award by The Green Organisation. The Cupar project has provided high quality housing to meet identified needs.

"The project also incorporated various environmental factors as part of the design and specification, which contribute to our sustainability objectives."

(JP/CD)