Riverside Scotland has handed over the first homes at the nation’s largest affordable modular housing development with four homes being allocated to military veteran households. The ground-breaking £9.8million project is being delivered by Riverside Scotland and Connect Modular, part of The Wee House Group and will provide 63 much needed affordable homes in Dundonald, South Ayrshire. Riverside Scotland has made a strong commitment to providing homes for veterans at risk of homelessness at its two newest social housing developments by allocating more than 10% of new homes to support veteran households. At Dundonald 13% (8) of the homes are being allocated specifically to veteran households.
Heather Anderson, Head of Service Delivery at Riverside Scotland developed the Agreement with Lindsay Kirkwood, Clinical Psychologist for Veterans First Point. Heather commented: “Riverside Scotland recognises the housing and wider needs of many veteran households, and the difficulty many experience in accessing suitable accommodation and support upon discharge from the Forces, and beyond.”
The homes were handed over to residents on 25 November and will specifically address the housing needs of households who are at risk of homelessness upon discharge from the forces, or who require dedicated support to assist with resettlement. All properties on the development are built to Housing for Varying Needs Standards, to ensure that they remain flexible and adaptable to meet the changing needs of households over time. This level of provision exceeds the level of capacity provided for veterans in most other housing developments, relative to the size of the build. Dundonald is the first modular project within the Riverside Group and the Riverside Scotland is proud to be flying the flag to make its housing more sustainable and energy efficient.
For this development, homes are built in Connect Modular’s manufacturing facility in Cumnock, Ayrshire. Jennifer Higgins, Managing Director at Connect Modular, said: “It’s a momentous occasion handing over the keys for the first five houses in our development with Riverside Scotland, the largest affordable modular housing development in Scotland. Handing over at this time proves the speed and efficiency with which the project is moving, thanks to modular build. A great achievement for all involved, and we look forward to continuing the delivery and handover of these homes in the coming weeks and months.”
Source: www.riversidescotland.org.uk
