Councillor Carol Hamilton, Scottish Borders Council’s executive member for Housing and Culture, cut the ribbon to mark the official unveiling, in an event that brought together members of the Burnfoot community and local councillors, as well as representatives of the Scottish Government and key partners including builders the JR Group and Aitken Turnbull Architects.

Designed to meet diverse needs, the 12 new homes include one- and two-bedroom bungalows with accessibility features suitable for those with limited mobility, as well as two- and three-bedroom family houses. These much-needed homes are built to a high standard of sustainability and greener living, equipped with solar panels, energy-efficient Air Source Heat Pumps, and EV charging points.

Commenting on the delivery of the new homes, Julia Mulloy, SBHA’s chief executive, said: “At a time of a national housing emergency, these new homes are a welcome addition to the housing supply in the Burnfoot community and we thank local residents for their patience and support during the construction process. We received over 250 bids for these twelve homes, which demonstrates the demand for housing here in the Borders.

“This project is testament to SBHA’s commitment to creating sustainable and affordable housing for the future, contributing towards addressing urgent demand for homes in the region. It follows the successful completion of four new homes at Leishman Place, also in Burnfoot, in November, with further projects currently underway in Newtown St Boswells and Jedburgh, along with innovative garage-to-home conversions in both Jedburgh and Hawick.

“We are grateful to our funding partners, the Scottish Government and Scottish Borders Council, for their ongoing support in bringing these new homes to the area. We look forward to welcoming Tenants to their new homes in the coming weeks.”

Andrew Dallas, projects director at The JR Group, added: “Fairhurst Drive is one of two developments in close proximity to each other within Hawick which we have been working on in partnership with Scottish Borders Housing Association. It is fantastic to see the completion of the project and the homes ready to welcome residents, particularly as there continues to be a much-needed requirement for new homes in the region.

“Aside from creating homes, the project has had far-reaching benefits for Burnfoot and the wider area. We worked with a number of local suppliers, subcontractors and businesses, supporting the local economy and keeping our supply chain as local as possible. During our time working in the Burnfoot area, we have also supported local schools and community groups through various donations and welcomed three local high school students for work experience placements.”

Councillor Hamilton said: “I’m delighted to have attended the official opening of Burnfoot sustainable homes. This is a long-anticipated and very welcome addition to the community, and I’d like to congratulate Scottish Borders Housing Association on this initiative. I’m also really pleased to hear further new homes are in the pipeline which will benefit more residents in the Scottish Borders.”