A former commercial building which had been unused and lying empty for a number of years has been renovated to create six high-quality flats at the city’s Bridge of Don — four one-bedroom and two two-bedroom properties — one of which is fully ground-floor wheelchair accessibility-designed.

Among the new tenants are father and son Jamie and Alfie McRobbie who have relocated to a two-bedroom flat from their previous home in central Aberdeen.

Mr McRobbie had been seeking a better environment for 12-year-old Alfie and is delighted with their new home. “It is really well located, on direct bus routes in all directions, and so close to the park and beach,” Mark said.

He added: “As a wonderful bonus, our second-floor flat enjoys panoramic views of the beach, all the way down to the harbour and lighthouse. And it’s great for watching the sun come up!”

Mr McRobbie, who works with Aberdeen City Council, applied for the flat through the These Homes choice-based letting scheme.

The £850,658 Ellon Road project has also helped preserve a part of the city’s rich granite heritage while also upgrading the building to meet today’s energy standards. Nearly £636,000 of the project cost has come from the Scottish Government in Housing Association Grant funding.

Osprey Housing CEO Stacy Angus said: “It’s great to see this development completed and handed over to new tenants.

“This development has really highlighted that even smaller-scale regeneration projects can have a significant impact on the wider community. This site is in a prominent location and the high-quality work completed by our partners KW Contractors really does demonstrate how well this partnership has worked to deliver these properties and make a difference.”

The redevelopment was designed by architect Bradley Craig, who said: “This is a sustainable project which highlights the value of conversion and the broader benefits of urban regeneration.

“A once-tired building has been upgraded into an attractive, energy-efficient structure, boasting high-quality views and an inventive use of available space.

“It is hoped that this prototype will be the catalyst for similar schemes as we explore the options that are available for unused buildings in our communities.”

Osprey currently owns and manages more than 1,800 properties across Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, and Moray.