Home Scotland, which is leading the regeneration of East Balornock in the north east of Glasgow has received permission to build the first 56 new homes - on the site of the old Knockburn Primary School.

The organisation, which recently won the large housing association of the year category in the 2009 Scottish Home Awards, is now awaiting approval from Glasgow City Council to build a new road into the estate, but it expects work to start on the new homes by the end of the year.

In total, Home Scotland will build 229 properties for affordable rent over the next six to seven years. An additional 79 new homes could also be built if people who currently own their properties in the area decide they would like the opportunity of buying a new home.

Once people move into the 56 homes that are built on the school site, their old houses will then be demolished to make way for the second phase. This process will continue until the scheme is complete.

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Stuart Dixon, Home Scotland's Head of Development (West), said: "Receiving planning permission for the first phase of news homes at East Balornock marks a significant step forward for the regeneration scheme.

"We could not have got this far without the support of Glasgow City Council, who are funding the regeneration, our contractor CCG (Scotland) Limited and, perhaps most importantly, the Residents Design Group we set up to ensure local people have real input in all stages of the scheme.

"East Balornock is one of Home Scotland's largest regeneration schemes and we are determined to provide quality homes and a community that generations will be proud of, and which local people have ownership of."

Councillor Elaine McDougall, Glasgow City Council’s Executive Member for Housing, added: "The new housing planned for East Balornock is an excellent example of the type of high quality and affordable development that the council wants to see being built, to help regenerate housing in Glasgow and breathe new life into areas such as this."

Home Scotland took over responsibility for homes in East Balornock following a stock transfer in 2004 and is planning to build 229 new properties. It is also in discussions with the existing 79 owner-occupiers in the area about providing them with a new build home through the Scottish Government's Shared Equity scheme.

(GK/JM)