Affordable housing builder McTaggart Group has been announced as finalists across seven categories of the Scottish Homes Awards 2018 including ‘Housebuilder of the Year (more than 100 units)’ where it is the only finalist who delivers mainly affordable housing.

The awards are Scotland’s largest independent awards initiative for the housing industry and celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. This national recognition comes as the event organiser revealed a record number of entries this year.

McTaggart Group’s managing director, Gary Climson, said: “We’re honoured to be recognised by this prestigious panel of judges, alongside some of the most prominent house building brands in the UK. We see our shortlisting in the Housebuilder of the Year category as an endorsement of the progress and quality of affordable housing in Scotland.”

He added: “The creation of sustainable communities is central to our business strategy therefore we’re particularly delighted to be finalists in the ‘Community Contribution Award’. We take the view that we are visitors to the areas in which we are building and making that community better in every way we possibly can is our goal. Getting to know the people in these communities and delivering a programme to help address some of societies inequalities is key to the success of our Sustainable Communities Programme.”

Last year, the group’s Sustainable Communities Programme delivered over 300 work placements and reported a 40% progression rate into employment within McTaggart Group of businesses.

The categories where McTaggart Group is a finalist are:

Laurel Homes, the private home building brand within the group, has also been shortlisted for ‘Show Home of the Year’. Laurel Homes is currently working alongside Link Group on Riverside Dalmarnock, an initiative to create tenure neutral designed development of 562 new flats and houses for social rent, mid-market rent, new supply shared equity (NSSE) plus private sale.

The winners will be announced at an awards dinner which takes place on June 14 at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange.