Calum Kerr MP was the guest of honour at the opening ceremony of one of Eildon Housing Association’s latest new developments.

The newly elected MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk unveiled the plaque for the 18 home development at Rodger Fish Gardens, Kelso last week.

The high quality, sustainable new affordable housing development comprises of 4, 3 and 2 bedroomed houses and flats. Ten homes were developed for social rent and the remaining eight have been let at a mid market rent level.

The £2.5 million development has been majority funded by Eildon Housing Association, but also benefited from a £558,000 grant from the Scottish Government and £302,000 of support from Scottish Borders Council. The homes have been carefully designed to meet high sustainable standards and have been recognised in two recent national housing design awards.

In addition to the provision of the new homes, Eildon Housing Association has worked with local people to make provision for the reinstatement of allotment plots adjacent to this site. A new group has been formed and this initiative is working well.

Calum Kerr MP said: “Right across Scotland and the UK, there is a real need for this type of accommodation. The Scottish Government is set to meet its target of 30,000 new affordable homes by next year, and of course Rodger Fish Gardens is making a valued contribution to that. Overall across the UK, we need at least 100,000 houses of this type to be built every year, so there’s still a long way to go. But developments like this are showing the way and helping to meet demand.

“I’m sure the people who are now living in these new homes are very happy, and I’d like to put on record my praise for Eildon Housing Association, the Scottish Government and Scottish Borders Council, who have partnered so successfully to make the project happen.”

Councillor Francis Renton, executive member for social work and housing, said: “This is yet another illustration of good partnership working between the council, Eildon Housing Association and Scottish Government which helps us deliver on the council’s ambitions for the Borders Affordable Housing target of 100 new affordable homes per year. We also pride ourselves on the quality of homes produced here in the Borders and its testament to Eildon’s development experience to be recognised at a national level.”

Nile Istephan, chief executive of Eildon Housing Association, added: “Eildon continues to work hard to meet housing need across the Borders. With the support of our partners in the Scottish Government and Scottish Borders Council we have been able to sustain a good supply of high quality new homes across the Borders for many years now, and we hope to continue to do this well into the future to help address continuing housing need. These homes have been recognised for their design and quality, and it is pleasing that we have also been able to work with local people to add value to the development with the creation of the new allotment space.”

Designed by Assist Architects, the development was built by Border Construction with Scott Bennett Associates (Engineer), Camerons (CDM Co-ordinator) and Baker Mallett (QS/Employers Agent) also involved in the project.

@EildonHousing