The homes are being built by East Ayrshire Council and its strategic developer CCG (Scotland) on the site of the former Silverwood Primary School. The homes are designed to meet a range of needs for people in the local community including general needs, wheelchair users and older ambulant disabled residents.

Mr McLennan, Councillor Douglas Reid, leader of the council, and Councillor Jim McMahon, council spokesperson for housing, were joined at the official ground-breaking ceremony by Willie Coffey, MSP, Councillor Maureen McKay, local members councillors Neal Ingram, Graham Barton, Graham Boyd and Barry Douglas; chief executive Eddie Fraser and Julie Wakeham, Irene Harris and Steve Ewing from New Farm Loch Community Council.

Councillor Reid said: “I am delighted that Paul McLennan MSP was able to join us to perform the official ground-breaking at the new council housing development on Kennedy Drive in Kilmarnock.

“This development is ambitious and designed to meet the needs of local people. The homes have been carefully considered and the design includes attractive green spaces. This development is also the council’s second net zero project with full consideration being given to low carbon technologies. This includes the installation of air source heat pumps instead of gas boilers, the use of Scottish products and materials wherever possible to reduce transport energy and solar panels installed on all roof spaces.

“These homes will be life-changing for local people. They will really suit the local area but more importantly they have been designed to meet net zero regulations, helping to lower fuel bills and also are specially designed to meet community care needs of local people.”

Housing minister Paul McLennan added: “The social housing development at Kennedy Drive is an excellent example how modern design accompanied by new energy efficient heating technologies can provide much needed safe, warm and affordable homes to the local community.

“These 51 affordable new homes were supported by £5.147 million Scottish Government funding contributing to our commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032. At least 70% of these will be for social rent and 10% will be in remote, rural and island communities.”

CCG director Calum Murray said: “Since the commencement of our strategic housebuilding partnership in 2017, East Ayrshire Council and CCG have delivered over 280 homes across the region including four sites and 184 homes in Kilmarnock alone.

“Working with MAST Architects, we have created modern homes that have addressed local housing need and demand as well as a legacy of jobs and investment and to have now commenced work at Kennedy Drive, our third (and largest) net zero development to date, it is yet another key milestone for us. We look forward to engaging with community members during the course of our programme and would welcome Mr McLennan back to view these homes of the future once in habitation later next year.”

The project is being developed with £5.147m of grant funding from the Scottish Government and will contribute to their target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.