Information Bulletin
13 November 2006
Completion of New Build Council Houses at Rudda Park, Lerwick
The Shetland Islands Council Housing Service is pleased to announce that work has recently been completed on 6 new build Council houses at Rudda Park, Lerwick.
These are the first Council houses to be built in Shetland in more than 10 years and the development represents a breakthrough for people on Shetland’s housing waiting lists and staff involved in the provision of services to meet housing need.
The houses at Rudda Park were built using the Council’s investment funding for Housing, which was agreed in March 2006. This demonstrates the innovative and unique approach to fund the shortfall in housing provision that Shetland Islands Council has taken to help resolve the housing shortage in Shetland. It is hoped that this development will be the first of many Council houses to be built throughout Shetland over the next 5 years.
Local building firm Farquhar and Jamieson carried out the work, to build the new houses to a housing service design. Every house in the development has been built to a flexible plan and layout, is insulated to a high standard and will have low running and maintenance costs. Further work is going to be carried out to landscape the development.
Convener Sandy Cluness, said, “I am delighted to see these fine new houses ready for their tenants – hopefully we can now start to plan the construction of other new scheme to help meet the desperate housing shortage in Lerwick”’
Jim Henry, the SIC Councillor for the Sound ward said, “I am especially pleased to see the completion of the houses at Rudda Park. The house design and site location was jointly agreed following consultation with the users of the pathways and access roads in the area”.
Councillor Gordon Mitchell, Housing spokesperson said, “I am delighted that this scheme is now completed. There were many difficulties along the way, but the waiting tenants will welcome these extra Council houses. I hope that this type of development will be repeated in other locations”.
Press Release ends
Press Notes
The press is invited to attend the formal handover of the houses from the contractor to Councillors Sandy Cluness and Jim Henry, on Wednesday 15th November at 12 noon