The properties in the Auchmill area of Aberdeen near Bucksburn which are a mixture of 2 to 8 people flats including wheelchair-friendly are part of the 2,000 new council houses being built by the local authority.

The major project which is providing council homes across the city is one of several sites across Aberdeen which form part of the wider Aberdeen City Council Housing Programme aiming to address a long-term shortage of affordable social rented housing in the city.

The homes at Auchmill, with Ogilvie Construction as main contractor, are also designed to a Gold Standard level of energy efficiency throughout and low maintenance external amenity spaces as well as creation of a new ramp to the A96 which will provide safer access and support more walking, cycling and wheeling through Active Travel.

The design specification for Gold Standard requires energy efficient technologies that make homes greener and cheaper to run, enhanced sound transference, and increased natural light.

Aberdeen City Council co-leader Councillor Jenny Laing said: “I am delighted to see that work has started at Auchmill and it will be good to watch the build progress in the coming months.

“This is the biggest housing programme in Aberdeen for more than 50 years and is providing high quality homes of differing sizes suitable for a range of tenants in community settings around the city.

“These new homes will not only be energy efficient but also low maintenance and built to an extremely high quality in the industry-recognised Gold Standard.”

Aberdeen City Council co-leader Councillor Douglas Lumsden said: “It is fantastic to see the start of the work at Auchmill as part of our plan to build 2,000 new council houses in Aberdeen.

“These new homes will not only be great places to live in but are designed to help meet the greatest demand for our properties including for families, single people, and wheelchair-friendly.

“I’m sure the local community will enjoy watching the progress of the new homes at Auchmill and we look forward to when they are completed and tenants move in.”

The other sites due to be built include Craighill in Kincorth, the former Kincorth Academy site at Kincorth, Tillydrone, and Kaimhill.

Planning applications for the 99 homes at Craighill, 72 new council homes in Tillydrone and the 213-home development in Kincorth have been submitted to the Planning Authority in recent weeks.

As part of the 2,000 homes project, 99 council homes were built in Smithfield in 2017 and 80 in Manor Walk in 2018. Construction has started on 283 units at Wellheads Road and 369 at the former Summerhill Academy site.

The vision of the Aberdeen City Council Housing Programme is to create sustainable integrated communities and places by delivering affordable homes designed for life which meet residents’ current and changing needs, while supporting the wellbeing and resilience of tenants.

They will meet the most demand for council properties including flats for single people, flats for families, semi-detached family homes, wheelchair-friendly properties, and a small number of amenity bungalows. They are being designed for exacting standards including housing for various needs, dementia friendly, low carbon, low maintenance, and to meet the Gold Standard.