Housing provider Sanctuary has started building work on the old home of St Mirren Football Club.

Enough bricks to shore up even the leakiest defence will be used to create 132 affordable houses in Love Street, Paisley.

Gillian Lavety, Sanctuary’s head of development in Scotland, said: “We are delighted to kick off on the construction of this £17 million project.

“This development will bring back life to a site that was once Paisley’s heart and soul.

“These much-needed new houses will create a local community 10 years after St Mirren’s last match at Love Street.

“It’s great to get the ball rolling on what will be a fantastic addition to Renfrewshire’s affordable housing stock.”

Sixty four homes will be available for social rent, with the rest for sale.

The project, in partnership with Renfrewshire Council and the Scottish Government, is due for completion in August 2019.

St Mirren’s last game at Love Street was a goalless draw against Motherwell on 3 January 2009. The club officially moved into the new St Mirren Park 18 days later.

Councillor Marie McGurk, convener of Renfrewshire Council’s communities, housing and planning policy board, said: “The former football ground was a much-loved area for many football fans in and around Paisley and it is great to see work starting to transform this vacant site into good quality and affordable housing that people need and want.

“The new development will further increase the housing options for people in Renfrewshire and will continue the positive housing-led regeneration that has transformed this part of Paisley.”

The new homes will be built by AS Homes (Scotland) Ltd.

Paul Kelly, managing director of AS Homes, said: “We’ve worked in partnership with Sanctuary on many occasions over the years and are delighted to be working with them again on this large housing development, which will deliver much-needed new affordable homes for Paisley.”