Glasgow Chamber Of Commerce

Tenants from across the city are celebrating moving into new Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) homes in the South Side.

The 70 modern, spacious new homes in Brockburn Road, Pollok, have completely transformed a site which used to feature cold, draughty and difficult-to-let tenements.

Delighted tenants, who have moved from houses which are being demolished, were joined by constituency MSP Johann Lamont to mark the official opening of the development.

The development is a mix of houses and flats, with four of the flats built to wheelchair standard.

Tenant Agnes Fyfe, 56, moved from Toryglen with husband Ronald to a semi-detached in Brockburn Road.

Agnes said: "I couldn't ask for any more. Our last place was cold and damp and it was hard getting up the stairs, but this house is nice and warm with good size rooms and a front and back garden.

"It's made a big difference to our lives. I can't see us moving again. It's like heaven here."

Johann Lamont MSP added: "I am delighted by this development. Politics is about changing people's lives and the long road to improve housing in Glasgow ends in developments like this where people can live in homes they are proud of and build communities they can have pride in too."

The new homes are environmentally friendly, achieving a 'very good' rating under Ecohomes standards, an assessment scheme run by Building Research Establishment Ltd (BRE) which grades each house according to materials used, energy efficiency and availability of public transport.

They also have Secured by Design accreditation, a police initiative which helps cut crime by improving home security.

Jim Mullaney, GHA's Housing Operations Manager for the area, said: "The Brockburn Road area really has been transformed by these new homes.

"The previous tenements were unpopular because they were damp and had very little security, but these warm, spacious and energy-efficient homes have made a big difference.

"They're very popular with tenants and are helping us play our part in the regeneration of the Pollok area."

The development at Brockburn Road, built by contractors Cruden Building and Renewals Ltd, is part of the second phase of GHA's new-build programme, which will see 411 homes built at nine sites across Glasgow.

Cruden Building and Renewals and its subcontractors have also created 19 jobs for people in the Pollok area as part of GHA's new-build programme.

Allan Callaghan, Managing Director of Cruden Building and Renewals Ltd, said: "We're pleased to be part of the regeneration of the Pollok area. The Brockburn Road development has increased the selection of homes available to tenants and offered employment opportunities for local workers."