Lochside tenants move into new homes

Apr 3 2009 by Edwin Lawrence

DELIGHTED tenants have moved into the first eight houses in a 100-house regeneration project in Ayr’s Lochside.

Councillor Douglas Campbell did the honours in opening the first phase.

And he presented first tenants Mrs Lennon and Ms Pender with their house keys and bouquets.

The families are thrilled to be returning to a new-look Gould Street following the demolition of run-down old homes two years ago.

The remaining houses in this £13 million Scottish Government-backed Ayrshire Housing project will be completed by Christmas.

Alongside the redevelopment works, an exciting range of community and arts projects is being supported through the Lochside People and Place initiative.

Councillor Campbell said: “It’s wonderful to welcome the tenants to their splendid new homes.

“And it’s good to see the work of Ayrshire Housing is being complemented by my own council’s extensive modernisation work in the surrounding streets, as well as the People and Place project, run by Ayrshire Initiatives.”

Paul Torrance, chairman of Ayrshire Housing, commented: “It’s great to see this development taking shape thanks to the support of South Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Government.

“Housing minister Alex Neil’s promise of over £6m in government money for affordable housing in South Ayrshire is welcome.

“But it is not enough. It will only fund the completion of projects like Lochside which are currently under way.

“There is no money, however, for housing associations to buy the sites and design the schemes which will create the construction jobs and affordable lets of the future.”

Mr Torrance continued: “This is why Ayrshire Housing is supporting the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations’ Year of the Home Coming campaign.

“Bringing together Scotland’s housing associations, the STUC and Homes for Scotland, it demands that 10,000 much-needed new houses for rent to be built over the year.

“This would also secure the jobs of at least 50,000 workers and create 5000 new apprenticeships.”