Mactaggart & Mickel is an award-winning, family-run housebuilder and developer. We build quality homes for private sale across the central belt of Scotland and most recently in Oxfordshire.

But that’s not quite the whole story. A growing part of our business is bringing that self-same expertise and quality focus to building much needed affordable homes for local authorities and housing association to rent. Regardless of whether we are building for private sale or rent, we always remember we are creating communities. And that is something we believe we are good at. In short, we are providing homes for people to live happily for decades, if not generations.

We have a happy history of success in this area, alongside our City Legacy partners for The Athletes’ Village in Glasgow, and at our Polnoon development near Eaglesham in East Renfrewshire, hailed as an exemplar development by the Scottish Government in showcasing their “Designing Places” and “Designing Streets” policies.

Our most recent work with West of Scotland Housing Association (WSHA) is also a great example of what can be achieved. Our two organisations worked together to create the first affordable housing development in the conservation village of Symington in South Ayrshire, side by side with Mactaggart & Mickel, Stewart Milne and importantly a new Co-operative store that provides a much needed community facility as well as providing a great focal point for the new and existing to blend seamlessly together.

Sustainability is also important. Our affordable homes at Symington are built to meet the Building Silver Standard* for sustainability and offer a variety of accommodation. Recently staff went further and donated furniture to tenants who could not manage to fully furnish their new homes. The furniture came from several of our show homes and was still in good condition. To me this was an excellent way to re-use home furnishings and offer a little help for families that need it most.

We are already discussing how we can support WSHA tenants at future developments, including at our new affordable homes at Doonfoot in Ayrshire. Housing may be a human right, but the emotional connection is also important.