JR Group completes new sustainable development in Kirkcaldy
Residents have begun to settle into their new homes at Fife Housing Group’s new community-focused development of 49 energy-efficient affordable homes in the Glen Albyn area of Kirkcaldy.
The project, developed in partnership with The JR Group, comprises a selection of two, three and four-bedroomed houses and includes a number of wheelchair-accessible bungalows which offer a selection of adaptations and will have a positive impact for tenants such as David Jackson, who struggles with the stairs in his current home.
Gary McGregor, JR Group managing director, said: “It is great to see the project at Glen Albyn reach completion and be handed over to our client. These new homes are high quality and have a strong environmental focus, which reflects more accurately how we live today and how we will live in the future.
“The sustainability elements we have built into the development are key to the project, and we are incredibly proud of what we have delivered for our clients Fife Housing Group and for the Kirkcaldy community.
“The JR Group is committed to supporting the communities in which it operates, and we have worked collaboratively with Fife Housing Group throughout the project to support the individual needs of the local area including the upgrading of the local play area and carrying out landscaping works to the garden of Torbain Primary School.”
Featuring a host of sustainability measures designed to meet energy and heating gold standards, each home incorporates photovoltaic solar panels and enhanced wall, floor and roof insulation. Several homes are also being used to trial new, more environmentally friendly, electric battery storage technology.
To promote eco-diversity, bird and bat boxes have been installed on some of the properties and an existing wildflower meadow has been retained with new footpaths created to enhance the natural environment. The local playpark has also been upgraded as part of the associated community benefits programme.
Speaking at the launch event, Fife Housing Group’s chief executive, Nicki Donaldson, said: “We are delighted to have worked with The JR Group to deliver these impressive new affordable homes in this spacious new development.
“As an organisation, we are committed to building sustainable communities for the benefit of current and future tenants, so it’s been wonderful to see this project come to life and to meet some of the new residents.
“The green credentials included in this build continue to show our commitment to delivering against the climate agenda and the environmental impacts associated with this, and we are confident tenants will love their new homes and enjoy being part of the wider community forged here.”
The Glen Albyn development marks the first time Fife Housing Group and The JR Group have worked together. They also worked closely with a range of partners, including architect Oliver & Robb, employer’s agent Hardies, and engineers Bayne Stevenson Associates, to deliver this project.