Work is now underway to bring 30 affordable homes to one of the north-east’s biggest towns.
The Barrasgate Development is part of a new build programme which will result in 169 houses being built across Aberdeenshire over the next three years.
The development will include a range of house types from one-bed flats, two-bed wheelchair accessible bungalows, two-bed houses, two-bed semi-detached houses, three-bed semi-detached houses and four-bed wheelchair accessible houses.
Chairman of the Banff and Buchan area committee, John Cox, said: “It is good to see construction of these new homes under way. They will contribute to meeting the need for affordable housing in and around the Fraserburgh area whilst regenerating a derelict site.”
This is a flagship development as house types will be built to a very high level of energy efficiency as part of the Scottish Government Greener Homes Innovation Fund.
This initiative is for house building schemes that offer new approaches to the delivery of energy efficient affordable housing using innovative modern methods of off-site construction.
Aberdeenshire Council’s housing service made a bid from the fund assisted by Robert Gordon University (RGU) and Gokay Devici Consultant Architects.
The partnership came about after Aberdeenshire Council contacted business development manager at the RGU’s Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment, Gerry Buda, to ask him to advise and contribute to a bid for funding.
The design for the new development at Fraserburgh is based on the principles of the award-winning sustainable housing previously designed by RGU professor Gokay Deveci in Dunoon.
Mr Buda, who is responsible for developing the commercial activity of the school, said: “This is a fantastic project to be involved in and I’m delighted that this partnership approach between Scott Sutherland School and Aberdeenshire Council will see affordable housing developed which meets top sustainability standards and reduces fuel poverty.
“Hopefully it marks the start of an increase in sustainable social housing in the north-east, as one of the key aspects of the project is the fact that these homes can be replicated and rolled out efficiently across a wider area.”
Muirfield Contracts Ltd was the successful contractor for this development project. Works started on site in April 2014 and estimated to be complete by March 2015.