The finishing touches were completed recently, breathing new life into the refurbished sheltered housing complex.

The £2.114 million works – supported by a Scottish Government grant of £969,000 – have brought extensive improvements to the properties which are designed to specifically meet the needs of older residents.

Councillor Jim Montgomerie, cabinet member for the Green New Deal & sustainability, said: “As part of our commitment to housing improvement and our sheltered housing re-provisioning programme, we are investing substantially in homes for our older residents.

“It’s wonderful to see the completion of improvements works at Connell Court. This is the latest in a series of completed or ongoing projects to deliver modern, high-quality and energy efficient sheltered housing.

“In the last few years alone, our residents have benefitted from refurbished surroundings at Woodgrove in Dreghorn, Currie Court in Ardrossan, Robert W Service Court in Kilwinning and Dickson Court in Beith.

“In addition, we have refurbishment works ongoing at Garrier Court, Irvine and Friars Lawn in Kilwinning. We’re really proud of the work we’re doing to ensure our older residents have warm, comfortable and modern homes and I hope the residents of Connell Court enjoy their new soundings.”

The most recent Housing Revenue Account budget, approved by the council in December last year, includes £25m further investment in the council’s Sheltered Housing Re-provisioning Programme. This provides the opportunity to refurbish the remaining sheltered units in the housing portfolio which have not yet been upgraded, over a five-year period.

In addition to its commitment to sheltered housing, the council will also deliver hundreds of new council homes this year at sites including Flatt Road in Largs, St Beya Gardens in Cumbrae, Brathwic Terrace on Arran, Towerlands in Irvine, and Springvale in Saltcoats. Other developments currently under construction include St Michael’s Wynd in Kilwinning, Dalrymple Place in Irvine and Irvine Harbourside.