Bearsden welcomes new affordable housing development

A 27-unit affordable homes development has been completed at Kilmardinny in Bearsden.

The properties have been built at Allander Leisure Centre Road in Bearsden, supporting East Dunbartonshire Council’s local housing strategy.

The first tenants have started to move into the development, which has added 26 flats and one specially-adapted terraced house to the council’s stock of rented homes as part of the housing service’s affordable investment programme.

The flats are a mix of cottage-type main door flats and close-accessed apartments contained within two four-storey blocks. Cruden Building led the construction period, which lasted around 18 months, including a three month break in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The design was undertaken by Coltart-Earley architects who based their approach on the traditional Glasgow tenement form and selected materials to blend in with the adjacent developments.

Andrew Polson, joint leader of the council, said, “This has increased the stock of council housing in the area at a time when the demand for affordable homes continues to grow. The addition of 27 high quality council houses will help meet the needs of local people who are finding it difficult to get onto the housing ladder. It’s not often that we have the opportunity to bring new Council homes to this part of East Dunbartonshire and it is our hope that the new occupants will benefit from the location and high quality local environment here.”

Fellow joint council leader, Vaughan Moody, added, “The homes are built to an excellent standard and have a high energy efficiency rating which means lower fuel bills for their new occupants. The flats are also designed with integrated shared cycle parking and outdoor space for drying. The new development forms a key part of the Council’s plans for the area which will also see a new leisure centre being developed at the site of Allander Leisure Centre over the next two years.”

Allan Callaghan, MD of Cruden Building, commented, “We are pleased to deliver 27 new affordable homes on behalf of East Dunbartonshire Council. These modern and eco-friendly houses, apartments and cottage flats, have all been designed to meet local housing needs. Throughout this development we have supported the local economy by providing valuable jobs, work placements and training opportunities for East Dunbartonshire residents.”