Minister for local government & housing, Kevin Stewart MSP, carried out an official ground breaking at Ardrossan Harbour last week where Cunninghame Housing Association plans to build 70 new homes.

The landmark event marked the regeneration of the empty brownfield site on Montgomerie Street which Cunninghame purchased from Clydeport in March 2007.

A total of 70 houses and flats, all for rent will be delivered on the site comprising a mixture of 2 and 3 bedroom general needs, amenity and wheelchair flats and houses with £5 million allocated in grant towards this project by the Scottish Government.

The work will be on site for a 16 month period with overall completion scheduled for December 2017.

Minster for housing Kevin Stewart said: “I would like to congratulate Cunninghame Housing Association for responding so positively in providing affordable homes on this site, and I pleased the Scottish Government were able to support this with a grant of £5.8m.

“We need to maintain and increase the supply of new affordable homes to help meet the housing needs of our people. This development will provide 70 much needed high quality homes for a mix of families, older people and wheelchair users. It will be modern, contemporary and highly energy efficient, as well as delivering community benefits.”

Main contractor Ashleigh Scotland Ltd is working closely with the Association to deliver a programme of community benefits with three new apprentices all from Ayrshire being recruited as a result of this project.

In addition the strategic partnership has created three week work experience placements at Ashleigh for students from local schools and one to one mentoring of a local young person over a 12 month period. The contractor has a meeting arranged with Ardrossan Academy after the school holidays and a young person will be selected to be mentored by Ashleigh. It might be someone who has expressed an interest in trades/construction and they will have the opportunity to visit sites, talk to site managers, and discuss their own employment pathway and receive advice on same.

Other community benefits include primary school engagement visits by the contractor and competitions for local school children. Ashleigh has also pledged to support/sponsor a local sports Association or community group and ensure the vast majority of the contractors supply chain are Ayrshire based.

Frank Sweeney, chief executive, Cunninghame Housing Association, said: “We are delighted once again to have the support of our strategic partners North Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Government to enable us to deliver these new high quality homes, together with a raft of community benefits.

“From a works contract sum of £7m from the Montgomerie Street site we believe that circa £6.1m will be recirculated within the Ayrshire economy through the contractors own trades, suppliers and sub contractors. This is what strategic partnerships can deliver.”

Cllr Tony Gurney, North Ayrshire Council’s portfolio holder for place, said: “We are delighted to work alongside Cunninghame Housing Association and the Scottish Government to help deliver this important project.

“Over the last two years, a close working relationship between the council and the Scottish Government has resulted in the site being incorporated within the current Strategic Housing Investment Plan and form a key part of this year’s North Ayrshire Development Programme.

“Now, work can begin to transform this site, creating around 70 new homes which will bring much-needed accommodation for those waiting on social housing.”

As well as the Montgomerie Street site, Ashleigh will also deliver an additional two sites at both New Street, Stevenston and Stanley Primary School, Ardrossan on behalf of Cunninghame Housing Association. The two sites combined will provide an additional 38 units and will both commence on site during March 2017.

The contractor will also incorporate these additional sites into the pipeline for their apprentice intake for next year resulting in another three or four further new start apprenticeships.

David Smith, joint managing director, Ashleigh (Scotland), added: “We are excited and very proud about our involvement in the Montgomerie Street project. As a company dedicated to investment in developing the young workforce and in particular our apprenticeship programme, a project like this can make such a difference and positive impact to us. To be involved alongside Cunninghame Housing Association Ltd, who share such a similar ethos, gives us confidence in a future pipeline of work that can take a young person from school leaver to a fully qualified trade person and make a real impact on them and us as a company.”