New housing minister opens Kippen estate

Jun 24 2011 by Kaiya Marjoribanks, Stirling Observer Friday

KIPPEN was the venue for the first housing-related engagement of Keith Brown MSP.

The new Minister for Housing and Transport opened a Rural Stirling Housing Association Development of 18 new homes for rent at the Old Nursery in the village recently.

A crowd of residents, community representatives and invited guests gathered to view the new homes and heard a speech from the Minister in which he commended the high quality of the new homes and their role in meeting local housing needs.

He presented flowers to new residents Mr and Mrs Page who were re-housed from their tied accommodation on a local estate where they had lived for 31 years.

The Minister also referred to the other positive spin-offs from the new homes – in helping to sustain the construction sector and jobs and in helping to combat climate change and fuel poverty.

In accordance with the association's Sustainable Design Guide the new homes are all highly energy efficient and incorporate either ground-source heat pumps or solar thermal roof panels.

RSHA worked closely with the local community in relation to the development of the site. A panel of representatives from Kippen Community Council was involved in a series of meetings with RSHA staff and the architect to discuss the housing mix and design of the new homes.

A Local Lettings Initiative was agreed to give greater priority to those in housing need who live in or have a need to move to the local area.

Speaking at the event, community council chairman Bill Wilson welcomed the residents to their new homes and referred to how pleased the community council is with the new houses, and how they blend into their environment.

Rural Stirling chairman Owen McKee said: “This is another great example of successful partnership working between the association, the local community, Stirling Council which provided the site and the Scottish Government which is providing most of the grant funding.

“We very much hope to be able to continue to provide similar quality homes in the future.”