The 126 new homes on the site of the former St Andrew’s High School on North Douglas Street will be made up of affordable housing for rent, as well as specialist housing for residents with additional needs.

The properties vary in size, ranging from one-bedroom flats to five-bedroom houses and allocation will take place in phases until the whole site is complete in July 2021.

It is one of a range of new housing projects which are progressing despite experiencing delays due to COVID-19 restrictions. Other developments being constructed as part of the council’s More Homes Better Homes initiative are also expected to welcome their first tenants before the end of the year.

They include a range of new homes at the 2.4-hectare Haldane site, which will be handed over to the first phase of tenants in October. The development will include one and two-bed flats, three-bed bungalows, as well as three and four-bed semi-detached and detached houses, with a number which are wheelchair accessible.

In addition, a 22-home development at Creveul Court, in Alexandria town centre, will be ready in December, comprising 16 one and two-bedroom flats with lift access; five one-bedroom cottages and one three-bedroom bungalow designed for a wheelchair user. 

In Dumbarton, the 55 new houses on the former Aitkenbar Primary school site, offering a range of 1 -4 bedroom houses and flats, will also be ready for the first tenants in December with a final completion date of next May.

The report to the council’s housing and communities committee yesterday also highlighted consideration being given to change the plans for Clydebank East, where 339 multi-storey flats and maisonettes are in the process of being demolished, from developing a mix of private and social housing to developing only social housing.

Work is also underway to identify potential sites for more affordable housing to be developed on in the future, with sites at Bonhill, Alexandria Town Centre, Dumbarton Town Centre, Clydebank Central and North Mountblow all being considered.

Councillor Diane Docherty, convener of housing and communities, said: “This report is testament to the hard work the team have undertaken to ensure all of our new sites keep progressing despite the challenges that have been faced due to COVID-19.

“Every house we build is affordable and energy efficient, and allocated tenants will no doubt be extremely proud to call them home in the not too distant future.”

Cllr Caroline McAllister, vice convener of housing and communities, added: “Providing new housing that matches the type and size required by our housing demand list really helps us positively regenerate these priority areas and I am pleased that work has already begun on our future plans.”