North Ayrshire celebrates 1,000th new home

North Ayrshire Council has reached a historic milestone in its ambitions to provide high-quality, affordable homes for local families.

The keys to the 1,000th home built since 2014 under the Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan have been officially handed over to a delighted resident.

This landmark achievement came as the first tenants started moving into the brand-new development of 50 modern, energy-efficient homes built on the site of the old Garnock Academy in Kilbirnie.

In common with other developments across North Ayrshire, the new site in Kilbirnie features a mix of general housing, amenity bungalows and specially designed homes for wheelchair users, breathing new life into a site that holds special memories for generations of local people.

Mandy, who took the keys to her new property last week, said: “It's amazing and I'm not just saying that - it is actually unbelievable. I've seen in the past what people would deem as accessible and things like that, but this house is the most accessible property I've been in that I'll be able to call a home.”

Councillor Gurney said North Ayrshire Council’s housebuilding programme will not be slowing down, with hundreds more new homes currently under construction or at the planning stage.

He said: “Our Strategic Housing Investment Plan sets out our commitment to deliver 1,666 homes in every part of North Ayrshire, both on the mainland and islands.

“Handing over the keys to the 1,000th home is a significant moment as we work towards achieving that target.

“Our housebuilding strategy is one of the most comprehensive local authority housing programmes in Scotland, focusing on high-quality design, accessibility, and modern energy-efficiency standards to combat fuel poverty.

“Over the months and years ahead, we will continue to deliver fantastic new homes across North Ayrshire.”

The School Road project in Kilbirnie was delivered in partnership with building contractor Ashleigh (Scotland) Limited and supported by £5 million funding from the Scottish Government.

In addition to the houses, the project has also delivered massive benefits to the local community by creating skilled construction jobs and training opportunities.

With hundreds more homes currently being planned or under construction, North Ayrshire Council remains fully committed to maintaining the momentum and delivering the best possible social housing for its residents.