Stirling Council have announced the start of work on a new 22 affordable home development at Bannockburn Road in Cowie on the site of the former St Margaret's Primary School.

The new residential development will provide energy efficient homes fitted with solar panels and battery storage, as well as include two homes designed for wheelchair users. All properties will be available for social rent and will consist of:

• 4 x 1 bedroom cottage flats.

• 4 x 2 bedroom cottage flats.

• 6 x 1 bedroom houses including one wheelchair house.

• 5 x 2 bedroom houses.

• 3 x 3 bedroom houses including one wheelchair house.

Community consultation was undertaken during the planning stages for this development, with Cowie Community Council, Cowie Rural Action Group (CRAG) Annual Fun Day and The Thursday CRAG group, providing supportive feedback for the site to be redeveloped for new build affordable homes.

Stirling Council Housing Portfolio Holder, Councillor Jim Thomson, said: "The construction of these houses is part of Stirling Council's Strategic Housing Investment Programme (SHIP) to deliver 700 new social rented properties by 2022 and is supported by Scottish Government funding.

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"It's great to see work started and this adds to our growing stock of affordable housing."

Depute Housing Portfolio Holder, Councillor Alasdair MacPherson, said: "I am pleased to see this former school site being brought back into use with the construction of much needed new council housing which includes homes built specifically for the needs of disabled families."

Depute Housing Portfolio Holder, Councillor Danny Gibson, said: "These new homes will be among the first in Stirling to be built with automatic fire suppression systems installed, which will improve the fire safety within our properties."

The Council has appointed CCG (Scotland) as the main contractor to deliver the new homes, which will be allocated in line with Stirling Council's Housing Allocation Policy.

CCG Managing Director, David Wylie, said: "We are delighted at making our return to Stirlingshire with Bannockburn Road and look forward to working with the Council to deliver these much-needed affordable homes. Thanks to our advanced construction methods, the development will be built to the highest standards of quality and energy performance as well as being delivered at advanced pace.

"Furthermore, as a result of our involvement, CCG will deliver a comprehensive community benefit programme that will include the creation of jobs, curriculum support for schools and a £6000 donation to locally based projects."

Stirling Council is also currently working with delivery partners for new build affordable homes to be provided on various other sites across the Stirling area including Bannockburn, Callander, Cornton, Dunblane, Drymen, Raploch and St Ninian's.