Scottish Government
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Jobs safe as houses
New affordable housing projects in North Lanarkshire, backed by £8.5 million of Scottish Government funding, are safeguarding more than 100 jobs in the construction industry.
Local housing associations - Cumbernauld Housing Partnership Ltd and Lanarkshire Housing Association Ltd - who are jointly contributing £4 million, are building 99 new homes securing jobs for joiners, plumbers, electricians and bricklayers.
The two projects - in Cumbernauld and Bellshill - are benefiting from £1.5 billion being invested in affordable housing by the Scottish Government over the next three years.
Across Scotland, £675 million will be spent to approve over 8,100 affordable homes for rent in 2009-10.
In North Lanarkshire, Housing Minister Alex Neil said:
"This year we are investing significant funding in areas like North Lanarkshire to protect construction jobs and deliver homes that people can afford.
"At a time when Scotland's house building industry is facing the challenges presented by the economic downturn, these developments help bring job security for those employed in the industry."
North Lanarkshire Council's Depute Provost, Cllr Jim Robertson said:
"These housing developments not only provide much needed affordable homes and help regenerate local communities, but they also support the construction industry and local jobs.
"This Council has a strong track record of working in partnership with the Scottish Government and local housing associations to deliver good quality housing within priority areas to meet local need.
"This Council is also investing heavily in its own new build programme and ploughing record funding into upgrading the existing council housing stock, to help support the construction industry at a difficult time."
Alex Clark, Chair of Cumbernauld Housing Partnership said:
"Our overriding priority is to deliver affordable homes for the people of Cumbernauld.
"The economic downturn presents us with challenges as we work to realise our ambitions, but as these developments demonstrate, we are delivering houses that people can afford.
"It is also good news for construction companies that are safeguarding jobs that boost the local economy."
Lanarkshire Housing Association's chairperson Catriona Blyth said,
''We are delighted to have worked in partnership with Trust Housing Association to provide a wider range of homes for the community.
"It is an excellent example of the high standards that can be achieved when all parties work together."
Kildrum Project, Cumbernauld
The 51 new homes are the first phase of a wider regeneration project to replace 108 properties, which were acquired by the Council under a CPO due to structural defects. It enabled owners to purchase new properties under the Scottish Government's LIFT (shared equity) scheme. Phase two will provide up to a further 70 new homes.
Project was managed by Forgewood Housing Co-operative on behalf of Cumbernauld Housing Partnership.
Project was jointly funded by the Scottish Government and North Lanarkshire Council. The contractor was Lovell Partnerships Ltd.
Liberty Road Project, Bellshill
A partnership project with Lanarkshire Housing Association acting as lead developer constructing 28 mainstream units for themselves and a new 20 unit very sheltered housing complex for Trust Housing Association.
Total development costs amounted to £6.7 million with grant funding of £4.6 million having been approved. Private finance of £2.1 million was raised by Lanarkshire Housing Association and Trust Housing Association Ltd.
The contractor is McTaggart Construction Limited.
