• Project name: Langlands Road, Glasgow
• Lead organisation: Trust Housing Association
• Partner organisation: CCG (Scotland) Limited

Statement of support

This stunning new later living development has been built on a brownfield site within the historic centre of the flourishing neighbourhood of Govan. The site was previously an unused surface level car park adjacent to the Govan Cross Shopping Centre, which is a popular local amenity. Accessible from Langlands Road itself, via Harmony Row and Govan Road, the development occupies a very prominent corner position on a main commuter route and is a highly visible component of the streetscape, which comprises of a variety of traditional red and blonde sandstone tenements alongside new build housing. The design seeks to compliment the neighbouring traditional red and blonde sandstone tenemental context within two defined six-storey blocks, each clad in a similarly toned red brick and complete with generously sized fenestrations. The upper floors of the development have stunning panoramic views towards the city centre to the east. Construction began in November 2022 and completed in April 2024.  The housing mix is as follows:

• 20 - two bedroom three person apartments (74.5m2)
• 12 - one bedroom two person apartments (58.4m2)
• 10 - one bedroom two person apartments (64.8m2)
• Four - one bedroom two person wheelchair adapted apartments (74.1m2)

The homes are all for social rent with the mix being chosen in response to local housing need and demand, with the aim of creating much needed modern, sustainable accommodation for later living, complimenting other housing in the area. The homes comply with Housing for Varying Needs and the Glasgow Standard, and can be to adapted to the changing needs of individual, ensuring that customers can live independently for as long as possible. Homes benefit from high levels of general storage space, selected apartments also have a private balcony or Juliet balcony, whilst each block is fully lift-accessible. Each floor has ‘way finding’ painted feature walls, each representing colours, from Trust’s 50th anniversary re branding.

The development is a result of partnership working between Trust Housing Association, CCG Scotland Limited, Elderpark Housing Association and the local community. Trust, who are a national housing association and Elderpark, who are the local  community based housing association, have worked collaboratively to ensure both this site and another nearby site were both able to be developed together in tandem. Elderpark has supported Trust to lead on the development of this site, which is within their principal area of operation and was initially earmarked for development by them. In return, Trust has supported Elderpark through the provision of development services to enable them to take forward the development of another site nearby.

The placemaking impact of this development has been greatly beneficial to the local community. The steering group of the Central Govan Action Plan (CGAP) who are a community led group whose aim is to ‘make central Govan an attractive, vibrant and prosperous place where people chose to live, work, visit and invest’ were engaged during the development of the project, along with the wider community. The development has not only helped address the city’s need for modern, affordable, later-living housing, but new residents now contribute on a micro-economic scale to surrounding businesses and supporting public services. There is also an enhancement on a social and environmental scale through the physical transformation of this once redundant site. The development benefits hugely from its proximity to excellent public transport links with Govan Subway Station and Govan Bus Terminal, located only 200 metres away. The £29.5 million ‘Govan to Partick’ pedestrian/cycle bridge, due to complete in September 2024, is also located just 600 metres away.  The bridge will also offer active travel routes to other popular districts, such as  Partick and Yorkhill.

Outcomes and achievements

The close proximity of amenities and transport links means that residents are less reliant on having a personal vehicle. Car parking of only 14 spaces (30 per cent) enabled more spacious in curtilage communal gardens, creating a ‘green oasis’ in what is a densely-populated urban area. In addition to this, a 125 per cent capacity cycle store is also provided to further promote active travel.

The development was constructed to Gold Hybrid Level under Section 7 of Scottish Building Standards, adopting a ‘fabric first approach’ using a closed panel timber frame system, manufactured just eight miles away.

The panellised system uses sustainably sourced timber and is assembled under zero waste conditions. Digital integration enables the creation of entire wall zones meaning thermal bridging is minimised, enabling each home to achieve an advanced standard of airtightness. With advanced airtightness, including zero air permeability, each home is inherently thermally efficient, staying warmer for longer, naturally lowering consumption of energy, meaning residents therefore benefit from lower fuel bills. The homes EPC certificates are all Band B with Environmental Impact Ratings of 93 (Band A) with operational energy costs from only £433 per annum. All internal, flat entrance and common doors, are manufactured using sustainably sourced engineered timber.

• Project name: Rowanbank Gardens
• Lead organisation: Wheatley Homes East
• Partner organisation: Artisan Real Estate Limited

Statement of support

Wheatley is Scotland’s leading housing, care and property management group, providing homes and services to over 210,000 people in 19 local authority areas across Scotland. Sustainability has always been at the heart of the Wheatley Group’s aim of making homes and lives better.

The Rowanbank development meets Wheatley’s commitment to sustainability towards building new homes that don’t rely on fossil fuel for heating.

Rowanbank is a sustainable residential development built on a brownfield site in Corstorphine, Edinburgh. This project has delivered 33 high-quality affordable new homes for social rent, alongside 93 apartments for private sale, set around a large garden filled with fruit trees and communal planting beds. The affordable homes have been delivered by Wheatley Homes East in partnership with Artisan Real Estate Limited.

All apartments benefit from full-height windows allowing for gorgeous views of the gardens, with the complex brimming with green roofs and climbing plants. As part of the planning process, the City of Edinburgh Council provided feedback that the proposed mix was not representative of the flat types being developed for private housing.

The initial 31-unit mix excluded two three-bed, main door private flats located at ground floor level next to our stair, with affordable units located above. With support from CEC, we negotiated and secured the inclusion of the two three-bed flats in the affordable provision. Seven of the 33 affordable apartments are three-bed family homes, with 12 two-beds and 14 one-bed flats, all for social rent. The two additional three-bed main door flats are wheelchair accessible, benefiting from rise and fall kitchen worktops, a wet floor bathroom and an ensuite shower room. Four of the apartments include a large balcony overlooking the large communal landscaped garden.

Rowanbank Gardens provides smart, energy-efficient internal design geared to achieving low to zero carbon ratings, with the added benefits of significantly lower home-running costs. Each property benefits from an individual air source heat pump. The research on fossil-fuel free homes shows that average annual hot water and heating costs for a two-bedroom apartment at the energy efficient development could be as low as £775 per year, or less than £65 per month.

The development also features innovative green roofs to ensure water retention, improved insulation, and enhanced ecology. The natural sedum roof is one of the largest ever to top a residential apartment building in the city. Sedum are hardy yet striking flowering succulent plants with a host of natural properties which make them ideal for roof greening. The plants are virtually self-perpetuating and drought resistant, with shallow roots requiring very little soil in which to grow. Once in full bloom, sedum roofs provide many benefits including natural insulation, drainage and protection from the elements whilst encouraging increased biodiversity by attracting insect and bird life. A total of 150 new trees have been planted in the large garden, along with herb and vegetable growing beds. Rowanbank Gardens residents will also be able to grow their own herbs and vegetables together in raised growing beds as well as being able to harvest cherries and apples from almost 30 fruit trees.

An enclosed bike store sits within the impressive glazed entrance hall to the block, encouraging active travel, and the limited car parking spaces are all equipped with EV charging points. There are several bus routes into the city centre and surrounding areas close to the development and the properties are located behind a large Tesco supermarket, and close to a Lidl supermarket, providing easy access to food shopping and the great local facilities in Corstorphine.

Delighted residents moved into the 33 affordable homes at the end of May 2024.

Outcomes and achievements

Our resident’s wellbeing is improved by living in affordable environmentally friendly homes, with excellent transport and active travel links and access to lots of open and green space. 

With the cost of living soaring, residents are benefiting greatly from lower heating costs created by the energy-efficient design of the properties.

Rowanbank’s ecological improvement to the former brownfield site include over 1,160m2 of green roof, 148 new trees, 697m2 of new planting space, climbing ivy, community potting sheds and allotments.

The internal courtyard garden, filled with fruit trees and communal planting and growing beds – as well as a natural woodland area and formal lawns, provides nearly twice the level of communal open space recommended by council policy. This has created a well designed outdoor space for residents to use, encouraging outdoor socialisation, integration and ultimately community which, as we learn from the lessons of lockdown, is now as important as ever. 

The development allows our residents to live, work and play within a defined local area. The ’20- minute neighbourhood’ allows for a sustainable and integrated local living experience, with everything you need at your doorstep as well as supporting local businesses.

• Project name: Dykehead Road, Airdrie
• Lead organisation: North Lanarkshire Council
• Partner organisation: CCG (Scotland) Ltd

Statement of support

In 2017, North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) announced a major change in its housing policy. In consultation with the residents of North Lanarkshire, plans were agreed to demolish several towers and low-rise blocks replacing them with modern homes, fit for the future. This forms one strand of the Plan for North Lanarkshire, which includes delivering 5,000 new council homes by 2035.

The first completed project forming part of the re-provisioning programme was at Dykehead Road, Airdrie, which involved the demolition of three tower blocks replacing them with new, energy efficient, affordable homes for social rent. The aim of this project was firstly to investigate the benefits of air-source heat pumps and solar energy generation with battery back-up within social housing to help achieve NLC’s climate goals and net zero housing generally. Secondly, we sought to help overcome the effects of fuel poverty within local communities.

The regeneration project at Dykehead Road, Airdrie, is the first of its kind within North Lanarkshire. This project includes the replacement of 138 decaying, inefficient flats, with 150 new energy-efficient homes using innovative modern technology to reduce carbon emissions. Of the 150 homes, 19 benefit from our net zero initiative pilot scheme, in which the homes were designed with enhanced energy efficiency measures including air source heat pumps, additional insulation ensuring a more sustainable heat envelope and additional solar panels generating energy which is then stored within a Tesla battery storage unit. Residents using the battery storage can also take advantage of variable energy tariffs, topping-up during cheaper off-peak periods allowing the storage of energy which can be used when the tenant needs it. These measures have helped to improve the economic, social, and environmental outcomes for residents in the net zero homes. All homes have been built with dementia design principles in mind, whilst achieving Housing for Varying Needs standards and a silver award in Secured by Design initiative.

The £25.5 million project started in June 2021 and was complete February 2024 and was supported by £9.7 million Scottish government funding. The 150-unit site comprises one, two and three-bedroom houses, flats, and bungalows, including 15 homes built to full wheelchair standard, which supports our Local Housing Strategy target of delivering 10 per cent wheelchair homes within affordable housing development. The project was supported and designed by Coltart Earley Architecture and was delivered on site by the contractor CCG (Scotland) Ltd.

Supporting quotes from partners:

• “The transformation of this site and the quality of life that these new homes have provided for tenants has been incredible.” Feedback of local housing team
• “Very spacious inside and out. A lot of consideration has gone into ensuring current and future needs are met.” Tenant
• “Lovely homes inside and out, very well built.” Tenant

• Statement from Scottish government:

“The Scottish government is very pleased to have provided funding for North Lanarkshire Council’s Dykehead Road project through our Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme. Dykehead Road was chosen for support through a competitive funding call due to the significant positive impacts for both the environment and tenant’s fuel bills, and its contribution towards our net zero carbon emissions and fuel poverty targets. We recognise the ambition North Lanarkshire Council have shown in the successful delivery of this project and hope the lessons learned can be a catalyst for further up-take of the technology.”

It is clear to see the positive difference that this development has made to the lives of residents and those around the wider community, removing from the town a deteriorating, antisocial and unmaintainable block of flats, to a desirable, vibrant, and affordable place to live, learn, work, invest and visit.

Outcomes and achievements

Initial monitoring is in place for a 12-month period to analyse the occupier’s energy use as well as establishing the true reduction in energy costs. These are expected to be reduce considerably compared to a standard home with a gas combi boiler. The results of the first phase handovers are currently being assessed, though initial results show that a two-bedroom home has used circa 1,735kwh of electricity compared to the average household of 3,509kwh (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)

Overall, this regeneration project has:

• Increased the number of homes within the area
• Enhanced the aesthetics of the local area
• Brought new and existing residents a sense of community
• Delivered high quality, affordable, energy-efficient, affordable homes with modern design standards, renewable energy, and high thermal insulation
• Provided a variety of housing types and sizes to suit local area demand
• Helped boost employment opportunities within the area
• Provided community benefits, including a financial contribution of £300,000, which was used towards a new 3G 11-a-side football pitch benefiting the residents of the wider area.

The Dykehead Road project combines all the category criteria expected of a winning submission.

• Project name: Area Based Regeneration – Mixed Tenure Improvement Service Pilot Scheme
• Lead organisation: City of Edinburgh Council

Statement of support

In 2020, the City of Edinburgh Council approved a three-year pilot project to improve thermal performance and building condition of existing mixed tenure housing, built in the 1960’s, in a large-scale area in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh. The area, like most ex-fully owned council developments, is in one of Scotland’s most deprived areas  where incomes and property values are lower than the Edinburgh average and all other deprivation indicators are in the worst five per cent for all the homes in Scotland. The pilot brought a new approach for engagement and consultation with private owners and landlords and other social landlords in the designated area. The work was delivered on a large-scale area-based regeneration basis.

On completion in 2024, the pilot programme had successfully delivered fabric improvements including energy efficiency measures to 98 per cent of blocks targeted. This means that 1,325 households have benefitted from a warmer home where the risk of dampness has been removed and residents in fuel poverty have saved on their energy bills.

To encourage support of the scheme from other owners in these mixed tenure blocks, the service developed close working relationships with local residents and landlords, the Scottish government and Home Energy Scotland and delivered excellent customer engagement. The in-house team delivered a holistic whole house approach, developing the appropriate technical solution for each archetype ensuring defects and inherent building design issues were addressed to make every block energy efficient. The team developed new processes and policy and gained council approval to enhance the Scheme of Assistance for private owners.

The area surrounding the housing blocks was also in poor condition and the team took the opportunity to use the contractual community benefits to improve greenspace and a local playpark.

Although challenging at times, our engagement process has been so successful, owners in 30 blocks (representing 240 homes) where the council had minority ownership have voted 'Yes' in favour of the works, in full knowledge of the costs to be charged.

The project works has reduced heat demand for residents and therefore fuel bills and fuel poverty. Residents have fed back to us verbally and in writing to say: 

• "The neighbourhood feels refreshed and brighter, and homes feel warmer."
• "The completed parts of the area look like newbuild homes, and I cannot wait until my home is completed."
• One tenant told us that she did not switch on her heating at all last winter, she said she thought she had saved about 80 per cent off her energy bills.

The pilot has had many VIP visits including housing minister Paul McLennan who said:

• “I was delighted to see first-hand the work of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Mixed Tenure Improvement Service programme, which is making homes more energy efficient so that people are able to live in good quality, warm homes."

Councillor Jane Meagher, housing, homelessness and fair work convener, said:

• “What a transformation and a shining example of the work our officers are doing to make hundreds of homes warmer, greener and better inside and out. It just goes to show what we can jointly achieve when we have the funding we so desperately need. It has been fantastic to see the effect this ground-breaking initiative is having. The work we've put in to this pilot is clearly welcomed by local residents, including many of our own tenants, and will have a lasting impact on the community."

Outcomes and achievements

The successful pilot has improved 1,325 homes in 172 housing blocks over the last three years for 958 tenants and 367 private owners and landlords. Residents have told us they have not had to use their heating and have saved money on their energy bills. Post-work results show that some flats achieved energy rating equivalent to new-build housing standards.

Successful engagement has meant 98 per cent of blocks consulted have been upgraded due to the work of the in-house team. Contracts have been awarded for £30 million of improvement works.

Improving the quality of these existing homes for residents has future proofed existing housing stock. Wider benefits include working towards compliance with EESSH 2. The reduced carbon emissions will help Edinburgh meet its net zero targets.

The local housing manager confirmed an unforeseen positive impact of the project; housing officers feel proud that the council has invested in a deprived area and are more confident when carrying out their day-to-day duties with tenants in an area where the council has shown care and attention.

The council approved an expansion of the Mixed Tenure Improvement Service to deliver improvements across the city over the next 15 years.

• Project name: Eton Avenue Development
• Lead organisation: Argyll Community Housing Association
• Partner organisations: Argyll and Bute Council Housing Service, Health and Social Care Partnership - Housing Occupational Therapist, Scottish government

Statement of support

Regeneration of an area not only transforms neighbourhoods but also people’s lives, through the delivery of high quality and well-designed housing, which improves outcome for tenants and helps sustain our communities. This is exactly what the Eton Avenue development sought and has successfully achieved.

This regeneration development by ACHA via council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan has made a significant difference to the local area. This included demolition of previous row of old tenement stock which was no longer viable due to the fabric type, poor condition and was in low demand as did not meet the needs of local residents due to the small size and condition of units. Proposals were put in place at an early stage and ACHA committed to an innovative approach to designing, developing and building replacement new homes on the site to meet the specific needs of local families who were struggling in their current home due to complex needs. This involved a commitment to work in a new way that did present a number of risks by differing from known, tried and trusted methodologies. The willingness to innovate has been a key part of this process.

The four replacement new houses are built to high standards with the design of each of the properties tailored and adapted to meet the particular needs of the proposed tenants. Having a good understanding and knowledge of proposed tenants, enabled the housing to be designed with close regard given to their specific, individual needs. This collaborative approach and the detailed design achieved was due to the involvement of the innovative council funded housing OT post at the early design stage, and throughout, to ensure that tenant’s individual anticipatory needs had been taken into account and embedded in the design.

The result has been new housing for families with specific needs that has transformed their lives, removing many of the day-to-day complications they faced and placing them in quality housing within easy reach of town centre and community facilities. By embedding tenant’s needs into the design, this has avoided the need for any retrospective changes to be made once the properties were allocated and tenants moved in.

There are national and local level contexts that reflect the need for these types of innovative projects. Argyll and Bute Council was the first local authority in Scotland to declare a housing emergency, in June 2023. The housing challenges in Argyll and Bute are similar to those faced in other local authorities, but with the added complication of our diverse geography and varied housing needs across housing market areas. House prices are high and unaffordable for 67 per cent of our population, meaning waiting lists for social rented properties are long and pressure ratios are high. We have an ageing population, with the 2022 Census reporting, that we have the highest percentage of people aged over 65+ across all 32 local authorities. More specifically for Dunoon, Public Health Scotland data identifies that many local households are impacted by poor health and wellbeing, with high SIMD areas, and people living in poverty. 

The community need is reflected in these specially designed adapted houses. Demand for adapted housing is high and pressure ratios for this are higher than the average. Often compromises have to be made and this project approach was intended to reduce the need for delivering homes that were only partially suitable homes for people. Providing the right homes in the right place is therefore critical and has been fundamental to this project. The result is homes for specific needs that are energy efficient living spaces that help to transform people's lives.

Outcomes and achievements

Whilst the overall outcome was the successful delivery on new energy efficient and high quality homes to meet the needs of the tenants. The achievements and outcomes of the project are evidenced and measured more substantially using feedback received directly from the tenants about the difference the housing has made to their circumstances and the quality of their lives.

100 per cent tenants agreed the overall condition of housing is better than where they lived before. When asked how their lives would look like if they had not moved into a new property, their feedback evidence the significant difference that the new properties have made: 

• “Stressful, the move has made a massive difference to our lives.”
• “Miserable, the move has been life changing.”
• “Stressful.”
• “Bleak.”

It can be seen therefore that the outcomes of this housing regeneration project extend far beyond the capital spend on the construction of four new houses. By integrating the needs of the tenants into the design and build, via consultation at an early stage, a wide range of health and social benefits were also delivered. The direct feedback from the tenants themselves would suggest that this has been transformational for them.