Work on a new £5.3 million housing development in Clackmannanshire is now complete.

A total of 48 homes for social rent have been built by Marshall Construction at Queen Street, Alva.

The scheme was developed by Tigh Grian Ltd on behalf of Link Group and Paragon Housing Association. It is Scotland's first volumetric off-site manufactured housing development built to the Gold Standard of Sustainability.

Consisting of a mix of one-bedroom cottage flats, and two and three-bedroom homes, following completion 14 units were transferred to Paragon while Link retained ownership of the remaining 34 units.

As the first development of its kind in Scotland, Link and Paragon are working alongside Construction Scotland Innovation Centre to work with Edinburgh Napier University on carrying out an occupancy study of the new properties. The probe will measure temperature, sound and energy use over the first 12 months of tenants living in their new homes.

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The development has now been officially opened by Minister for Local Government and Housing, Kevin Stewart.

Minister Stewart said: "I am delighted to officially open the Queen Street development. It will provide more homes for social rent, breathe new life into the community, and developed in an innovative way that provides great opportunities for low cost but high quality housing – core to our drive for a fairer Scotland. 

"Supported with almost £3.1 million pounds in Scottish Government funding, it is a great example of how we are helping to provide more eco-friendly homes, and also helping people bring down the costs of things like heating, benefitting communities across Scotland."

Craig Sanderson, Chief Executive of Link Group, said: "We are very pleased to have been supported by the Scottish Government and the Clackmannanshire Council to enable us to build new high quality, affordable, energy efficient homes in Alva.

"Queen Street has allowed to us to meet our design vision of creating sustainable homes using innovative design and constructive technology. I would like to thank all of our partners involved in this project – together I feel we have demonstrated the benefits of successful partnership working."

Margaret Torrance, Director of Paragon Housing Association, added: "Queen Street is an exciting and innovative project. It has produced energy efficient homes which we hope will have real benefits for the tenants, and will also help the social housing sector grow and develop its knowledge around the use of the volumetric construction techniques."

(LM)