Construction is now underway at the latest phase of South Lanarkshire Council’s Home+ house building programme.

The site of a former primary school Belstane Gatein Carluke is one of nine sites where South Lanarkshire Council is scheduled to start house building this financial year.

The Belstane Gate development will bring 22 much needed family homes to Carluke.

The project has been designed by South Lanarkshire Council’s Design Team and is being constructed by Cambuslang-based CCG.

The investment, which is supported by Scottish Government funding, will see 22 new 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes built, with completion expected Spring 2018.

With generous space standards, high quality kitchens and bathrooms the new homes incorporate renewable technologies such as solar panels, ensuring energy efficient homes which will be cheaper to run, benefitting both the environment and household budgets.

At a ceremonial sod cutting event held on site to celebrate the start of construction, Councillor Josh Wilson, chair of housing & technical resources committee, said: “I am delighted with the progress of the council’s Home+ programme which has delivered new homes across South Lanarkshire. This marks the first stage in delivering much needed affordable family homes in this popular town.”

Daniel Lowe, executive director of housing, added: “This latest development demonstrates South Lanarkshire’s continuing commitment to meeting key priorities in our Local Housing Strategy which include increasing the supply of affordable housing, tackling fuel poverty and promoting sustainable communities.

“With a further 8 projects scheduled to begin in 2017/18, which will see sites in Hamilton, Blantyre, East Kilbride and Clydesdale delivering a further 150 new homes, we are well on our way to delivering our target of 1000 homes by 2021.”

Glasgow-based construction specialist CCG (Scotland) Ltd is leading the delivery of the project and will construct the new homes using a timber frame system that is manufactured in their bespoke ‘Off-Site’ manufacturing facility, CCG OSM. This timber frame system is manufactured across a semi-automated production line and is delivered to site complete with pre-installed insulation, windows, doors and service zones.

CCG director, Calum Murray, said: “CCG’s closed panel timber frame system is manufactured under factory-controlled conditions which ensures precision and quality as well as being highly energy efficient. As all of the components are pre-installed, site management is simplified and construction is much faster when compared with traditional methods. The first plot at Belstane Gate began construction this August and the building’s superstructure was fully constructed, wind and water tight, in just five days - a remarkable achievement.

“We look forward to progressing works at Belstane Gate, and to working with South Lanarkshire Council over the coming months to further develop our business proposition in this part of the country.”

South Lanarkshire’s approach to energy efficiency will continue across all future developments including the fabric of the buildings and the use of high-quality insulation, modern heating systems and boilers, and wherever possible, renewable energy sources.