The City of Edinburgh Council has welcomed the first tenants to a new social housing scheme across the city.

Construction of the homes is ongoing as part of a project to provide hundreds of affordable flats and houses on seven small brownfield sites across Edinburgh.

At the end of September keys were given to tenants in West Pilton as the first 29 homes for social rent in the Small Sites Affordable House Building Programme were completed. In the last few weeks tenants were also given their keys to a further 22 homes for social rent in Clermiston, and 37 in Fernieflat Neuk, Wester Hailes.

A further 30 homes for social rent (phase 1) at Dumbryden and 24 at Royston will be ready next summer and another 26 for social rent at Crewe Road Gardens, while 21 at Hailesland Place will be complete by next spring.

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As part of this project the Council is also building 19 homes at Dumbryden Place, 22 at Clermiston, 11 at Hailesland Place and 22 at Royston for mid market rent. The homes at Hailesland will be complete by spring 2019 with the rest being ready by autumn 2019. Further homes are also planned in a second phase at Dumbryden and it is expected a planning application for these will be submitted next year.

The new housing includes a mix of flats and two and three bedroom houses. All of these high quality, energy efficient, affordable homes are being fitted with solar panels and this will help reduce tenants’ electricity bills.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener of the Housing and Economy Committee, said: "Tenants being given the keys to their beautiful new homes is, ultimately, what the house building programme is all about. This is a fantastic project that makes great use of small pieces of brownfield land across Edinburgh to provide people with much needed affordable housing. I'd like to wish all of our new tenants many happy years in their new homes."

Eva Pokorska, new tenant in a recently completed Council house in Wester Hailes, said: "I am so happy. I love my new house as it so quiet, warm and affordable. I don't really need to put the heating on upstairs which is really cutting down on my energy bills. My two daughters are delighted as they previously had to share a room. Even the dog Tilla loves it as we have a great garden!"