City of Edinburgh Council Housing Convener, Councillor Cammy Day met with tenants for a tour of the newest completed homes at the award-winning Pennywell site.

The new tenants were viewing the block and meeting their neighbours for the first time.  The new block in North Edinburgh, which has 11 flats (a mixture of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms), was built in response to the high demand for affordable homes in the city. The Council and its development partner, Urban Union, have committed around £80m to providing around 700 new homes for sale and rent within this area. The 21st Century Homes development at Pennywell is one of Scotland’s largest housing-led regeneration projects and is set to provide 356 affordable homes, along with 363 new properties for private sale. The extensive site, which is being built with partners Urban Union, is a result of a major investment of £42 million by the City of Edinburgh Council and includes £7.9 million grant funding from the Scottish Government.

The award winning development has already received RICS and Scottish Property Awards this year and is shortlisted as a finalist in three categories for the Scottish Home Awards (winners to be announced on 2 June 2016). These state of the art homes are built to a high standard of energy efficiency and, by using a fabric first approach with high levels of insulation and air tightness, heat losses are minimised- helping to reduce living costs for tenants. Housing Convener, Councillor Cammy Day, said: “Pennywell is a fantastic development which captures what we’re aiming for across the city – a range of affordable, energy efficient homes that are completed to the highest standard. These homes are perfect example of how this can be achieved and the recent well deserved awards are testament to all the hard work from everyone involved.

“Meeting tenants today and seeing how happy they are with their new homes is brilliant. Our commitment to delivering 16,000 homes over the next ten years will see thousands more happy tenants picking up their keys and really make a difference to the lives of those who have been hit hardest by the housing crisis. “The project has already created jobs for local people and I am confident that Pennywell will be an asset, not only to its residents, but as part of the overall regeneration of north Edinburgh.” One of the new tenants Stephen Ritchie, will move into a flat with a roof terrace, was impressed: “I’m delighted with my new flat. They have done a really good job with the block and I think its a well thought out area. I can’t wait to move in.”  These new homes are part of the historic commitment made by the Council and housing association partners to build 16,000 homes over the next ten years, the aim of which is to provide quality affordable homes for people on low to middle incomes who are struggling to find a home due to the housing crisis and the pressured market in Edinburgh.