Tollcross Housing Association has celebrated the start of work on a new £8.5 million project that will provide 47 new high quality affordable flats and houses for rent as well as a new office.

Main contractor Cruden Building and Renewals started site operations a few weeks ago and has already made substantial progress.

The project located on Dunira Street and Tollcross Road in Glasgow will be completed by January 2018 but the first houses will be available for let to the first lucky new tenants around September this year.

Ian Smith, chairperson of Tollcross Housing Association, and Councillor Frank McAveety, leader of Glasgow City Council, shared a dram to toast the start of work.

Ian Smith said: “We’re thrilled to be on site with this project. It’s taken a long time and a lot of hard work and effort from my fellow Committee members and the staff to get this project to this stage. We’ve been operating out of two offices for a few years now and I’m sure that our tenants will welcome the new ‘one stop shop’ that will allow us to provide a wider range of new and improved services.

“Without the support of Glasgow City Council none of this would have been possible and we must thank Frank and his colleagues for their ongoing support and commitment to the Association.”

Councillor McAveety added: “It’s great to see things moving on in the East End. Glasgow City Council is absolutely committed to improving housing conditions across the city and ensuring that every tenant has a safe, secure, warm and affordable place to stay, a place they’re proud to call home.

Associations in the East End have done a great job renovating existing properties, building new homes and providing a range of services to tenants and residents that help build and strengthen communities in this area. The council is delighted to support another development that helps towards achieving these objectives.”

Tollcross Housing Association is already developing plans for future projects. Proposals for Phase 2 of this project are already well advanced and feasibility work in underway on a 100 unit development on Altyre Street, Tollcross.

In addition, the Association are about to form a subsidiary and move into the Mid Market Rent sector for the first time.