The first homes in an 80 property development of new Aberdeen City Council houses at Manor Walk have been handed over to tenants.

Featuring a mix of flats and houses, the first nine households are settling in and a second phase will soon be completed.

The development of modern family homes is being built by main contractor Bancon Construction as part of the council’s programme of investment in housing.

At the nearby Smithfield site, which comprises 99 properties, the first phase was handed over in summer 2017 and work continues on both developments.

The handover to the first tenants at Manor Walk coincides with the announcement the development has been recognised with a gold award from Police Scotland for the commitment to the Secure by Design principles, a key feature of the approach taken to modern council housing.

Properties at the Manor Walk development are also joined to the council’s Combined Heat and Power Scheme (CHP), which uses waste heat from electricity generation and provides low cost energy options for tenants to reduce bills. Aberdeen’s CHP scheme has already proven successful in tackling fuel poverty in Aberdeen and reducing carbon emissions.

Councillor Jenny Laing, Aberdeen City Council co-leader, said: “Housing is a priority for the Council and the completion of these units will be followed by further handovers at both Manor Walk and Smithfield, providing vital supply to ease the challenges we know exist in the city.

“It is fantastic to see the Manor Walk development taking shape and the first phase completed. These houses will make a positive impact on the new tenants and embrace the latest concepts in energy efficiency, security and design.

“From speaking to tenants, I know at first hand the way in which modern design is improving quality of life and we’re proud of the way these developments are progressing – not only in terms of the houses themselves but in the way they support the wider aspirations for the community.

“Last year the redevelopment to create The Hub, a multi-million pound community facility, was completed and work is underway on the Middlefield greenspace project. There is a real momentum building in the regeneration of the area.”

Earlier this month it was announced the council is to develop plans for the delivery of 2,000 new council homes.

At the 2018/19 budget meeting on March 6 elected members instructed the Director of Resources to report back to the City Growth and Resources Committee with self-financing business plans, in conjunction with private developers, working within an affordable capital investment sum of £250 million.

The council will also aim to expand its work with the private sector in the provision of affordable housing and will prepare a report detailing land holdings that could be made available.