Bridgehousehill Phase 1 Opening Ceremony - Cunninghame Housing Association

August 16, 2023

Bridgehousehill Phase 1 Complete

The Ceremony took place exactly one year after the sod cutting ceremony to mark the start of this development. With Connect Modular we were delighted to host Scottish Government Minister for Housing, Paul McLennan MSP and Provost Jim Todd. We welcomed C.H.A’s new residents to phase 1 of C.H.A’s first volumetric-modular, reasonable housing development at Shortlees, Kilmarnock.

The properties are made off site by Connect Modular. The Minister began his day with a tour of their facility in Cumnock, East Ayrshire. The tour gave insight into the building process of these new homes to exceptional quality for Cunninghame Housing Association.

The Minister then travelled the short distance to the Shortlees site where he was joined by Provost, Jim Todd. They met the first new residents for the official handover of homes from Connect Modular to Cunninghame Housing Association. The momentous occasion marked a significant milestone for all who have been instrumental in the project. The pupils of Shortlees Primary School have also designed new home cards for C.H.A’s residents in the new development.

“Everyone deserves to live in a warm, safe and affordable home and Connect Modular’s innovative approach will help us to achieve this.

“The partnership between Cunninghame Housing Association and Connect Modular, supported by £10.5 million of Scottish Government funding, will deliver 101 affordable new homes at Shortlees. This means that more households will live in a home that meets their needs.

Partnerships like this will help us to deliver at least 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032. At least 70% of these will be for social rent and 10% will be in remote, rural and island communities.”.

Paul McLennan, Housing Minister

“Getting the bungalow has given me a new lease of life and given me my independence back; in my old property I was unable to get upstairs for the last 20 months. I’m delighted with the offer and the house is beautiful.”

Miss Brennan, One of The First Residents To Receive Her Keys

an was previously living in a private let with her son Gary (26). This was a three bed, semi-detached home, the stairs were causing her great problems due to a health. She could no longer use the upper level of the house. She was put up for a ground floor property by her Occupational Therapist. Miss Brennan was on the housing waiting list for 18 months before receiving this offer of a new, accessible home.

Cunninghame Housing Association is delighted to support the Scottish Government’s target of delivering 110,000 new homes by 2032.

“The Association is committed to delivering high quality homes for rent and it’s been exciting to see this fantastic modular housing development take shape. The handover of these first completed houses to the new tenants is an important milestone in the delivery of 101 new homes with a mix of two, three and four bedroom general needs houses, together with 10 amenity bungalows and 5 bungalows designed for wheelchair users being provided in an area where there is a high demand for housing. All properties are being allocated to applicants selected from the East Ayrshire Council common housing register. The site is already proving to be very popular with waiting list applicants.”.

Linda Anderson, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Cunninghame Housing Association

We’re excited to continue our successful partnering with Connect Modular into 2024 when the site will be finished. The project has benefitted from significant investment from the Scottish Government. This invaluable support lets us carry on giving quality new homes as we strive to make our communities better places.

The work shows a shared commitment to addressing the pressing need to deliver reasonable housing quickly and efficiently. The first houses are just the beginning of a wider idea that will deliver 101 purpose-built modular homes. This will positively impact the lives of many individuals and families.”

Others in attendance included the Cunninghame Housing Association Board of Management and the development team who overseen the construction. The family of East Ayrshire Council’s former Provost, the late Jane Darnbrough, whom the street was named after, also came to the opening ceremony and received a bouquet of flowers in memory of Jane.