Former Greenock school site transformed into 36 new affordable homes

(from left) - David Wylie, CCG; Alan Gordon and Aden Paterson from MAST Architects; Brian Praties; Julie McEwan; Hazel Aitken; Ronnie Lee, Oak Tree board member; and Patricia Ward, Scottish Procurement Alliance.

The first phase of Oak Tree Housing Association’s ambitious plan to deliver 200 affordable homes across Greenock has been completed with the opening of its Auchmead Road development, now known as Ravenscraig Gardens.

Constructed upon the site of the former Ravenscraig Primary School by CCG (Scotland) Ltd, a total of 36 homes have been delivered in a mix of 28 two, three and four-bedroom semi-detached houses and 8 two-bedroom cottage flats. CCG was appointed by Oak Tree HA through the Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA) framework for offsite construction of new homes.

Future residents are set to benefit from the development’s location with public transport links, amenities and leisure facilities within a short distance, whilst a communal greenspace has been integrated into the site’s masterplan.

Ravenscraig Gardens is one of four new build projects constructed for Oak Tree HA over the next three years, representing a total investment of £33m, including £18m funding from the Scottish Government. It will mean an enhanced social housing portfolio for Oak Tree, bringing its total stock to nearly 2,000 properties and contributing towards the Scottish Government’s current target to deliver 50,000 affordable new homes across Scotland. The project build at Ravenscraig Gardens was just over £5.5m.

Nick Jardine, Chief Executive of Oak Tree Housing Association said: “We are excited to finalise at Auchmead Road with CCG (Scotland) Ltd, who have delivered 36 quality homes to us, on schedule, in what is the first of our four planned new build developments in Greenock. It will bring new, energy-efficient homes to help us enhance the lives of our tenants, who will begin to move into the development early in the New Year.

“The location couldn’t be better placed for families, with great recreational facilities on the doorstep offering a wide range of activities from 5-a-side football to a climbing wall, as well as excellent road, rail and bus links, plus new shops now opening. The development, as a whole, is a very attractive offering.”

New tenants Sarah O’Donnell and baby Darragh in their new home with the Oak Tree team (from left), Julie McEwan, Senior Housing Officer; Hazel Aitken, Housing Manager (red jacket); Brian Praties, Development/Technical Services Manager; and Chairperson, Colin Campbell.

Glasgow-based CCG specialise in the creation of affordable homes with an output of over 1500 every year, utilising a mix of ‘modern methods’ and their expertise in offsite manufacturing, a form of construction that manufactures homes in a factory environment. This process allows for components such as insulation, windows and doors, to be pre-installed into a timber frame panel known as the ‘iQ’ Timber System before being transported to the site. This removes the risk of damage and the impact of the weather, which improves quality with better levels of thermal performance achieved thanks to enhanced airtightness.

In the case of Auchmead Road, the homes are incredibly energy efficient with added value brought by the installation of solar panels, to help create long-term energy savings for tenants and a reduced carbon footprint.

David Wylie, Managing Director of CCG said: “With Auchmead Road, we were delighted to return to Greenock to deliver this new housing development partnering with Oak Tree HA. The site’s composition was not without its challenges during the construction programme but our site team have done incredibly well – the development looks fantastic.

“The new homes are characteristically of great quality and environmental performance, which greatly benefits residents, ensuring long-term savings for them. We are also proud to state that the legacy of the project carries forward for the Greenock community with the creation of three full-time jobs and three work placements.

“We look forward to continuing our work with Oak Tree HA in 2020.”