New council houses have been completed on a brownfield site in Inverness.
The 11 energy efficient properties are now open on the site of the derelict Jolly Drover public house in Hilton’s Kintail Terrace.
Tenant Jen Scrimgeour was joined on Friday for her housewarming by chairman of Highland Councils Community Services, councillor Graham MacKenzie, and local councillors Jean Slater, Norrie Donald and Fraser Parr.
The new scheme comprises of six one bedroom flats, three five-person houses and two accessible bungalows.
As well as the homes, enhancements have been made to the approach of Kintail Terrace, the local community shop front and car parking.
The homes cost in the region of £1.3m, and were designed by a council architect, and built by a local contractor, Compass. The scheme also benefitted from a £506,000 grant from the Scottish Government.
The houses have been built to minimise heat loss with heat being provided by highly efficient gas boilers with flue gas heat recovery. Ventilation is provided by a natural passive stack solution.
The scheme is part of the local authority’s approved development programme to provide 688 new affordable units by 2017.
Councillor Graham MacKenzie said: “I am delighted to welcome new tenant Jen to her new home at Kintail Terrace.
“The completion of 11 new council houses marks the first new council houses to be built in the area for many years. This development has regenerated a former derelict public house to offer much needed new homes which are built to a high standard, offering warm, low maintenance homes for all tenants. I wish Jen and all the other new tenants moving into Kintail Terrace a happy future in their new homes.”
Tenant Jen Scrimgeour said: “I was delighted to be allocated the new property in Kintail Terrace as it better suits my needs.”