Link’s new affordable housing development at Balmwell Terrace has been officially opened by the City of Edinburgh Council’s vice convener for health, social care and housing, Councillor Cammy Day.

The £5 million construction of 43 homes for social and intermediate rent commenced in August 2014 using £1.8m funding from the Scottish Government.

Delivered by the Cruden Group, the 21 homes for social rent include one and two bedroom flats, two-bedroom houses and a two-bedroom flat to meet the needs of a wheelchair user.

There was also a further 22 homes available for intermediate rent, including one and two-bedroom flats and a one-bedroom flat for a wheelchair user.

Each of the properties meet Link’s design standards for affordable housing and have gas central heating and hot water systems, high thermal insulation and double glazing to create warm, comfortable and energy efficient homes that will be easy and economical to run.

Link is also currently onsite at City Park and Annandale Street where a total of 102 properties for intermediate rent will be available from March 2017. Work will also begin in the coming weeks at Ferrymuir, South Queensferry where a further 23 homes will be built for social rent.

Link Group chairman, Roy Stirrat, said: “We are delighted to have been supported by the Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh Council to enable us to build these new, high quality affordable homes. Link is one of six Registered Social Landlords who have a joint commitment to build 8,000 affordable and low cost homes to the Capital over the next decade. The properties at Balmwell, and at our other developments across the city, will mean Link starts its commitment by providing 168 new affordable homes by the end of 2017.”

Fraser Lynes, land and development director at Cruden, said: “The Cruden Group is pleased to have delivered this latest development of high quality affordable homes in the capital in conjunction with our long standing partners at Link Housing. These new homes take another step towards achieving the council’s target of building 8000 new low cost homes over the next ten years and we very much look forward to playing our part in realising this goal in collaboration with our RSL partners.”

Councillor Day said: “This development is a great example of the fantastic, much needed affordable homes that the council and housing associations are building in Edinburgh. Link Housing recently joined other RSLs to pledge to meet our commitment to build 8,000 homes like these in the capital, a partnership that will see an incredible 16,000 being delivered to people on low to middle incomes.

“I am delighted to officially open this development today, and wish its future residents all the best in their lovely new homes.”