Carmichael Homes began work on the development this month, which will deliver 43 houses, 12 flats and 4 wheelchair bungalows in Cowie, near Stirling.

Supported by the Scottish Government and Stirling Council, this project will deliver a mix of affordable homes, shared equity homes, and specialist accommodation, designed to meet the diverse needs of the local community.

Sharon Brady-Wardrope, director at Forth Housing Association, said: “We are delighted to be in a position to deliver these much-needed new affordable homes in Cowie, a project which was at risk of not going ahead. 

“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the team, in particular our Development Consultant Ewan Macdonald from Macdonald and Cameron Ltd and representatives from Carmichael Homes, we can now begin work on site, and look forward to seeing the first homes being finished in 2027.

“The delivery of these new homes has only been possible with funding from our partners, Stirling Council and the Scottish Government, and it is part of our continued commitment to address the need for affordable housing in Stirling.

“While there is still much work to be done in tackling the national housing emergency, this development signifies an encouraging contribution. Together we remain committed to ensuring that everyone has access to a quality, affordable home.”

Scott Carmichael, managing director of Carmichael Homes, added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Forth Housing Association, in conjunction with Stirling Council, to bring fifty-nine much-needed homes to Cowie.

“This collaboration will make a real difference for local families and reflects our shared commitment to providing high-quality and sustainable housing. We are proud to play our part in the delivery of new homes for the area.”

Stirling Council housing convener, Councillor Willie Ferguson, said: “The Cowie development is just one project within our Strategic Housing Investment Plan in which we have doubled our ambitions to now deliver 900 new homes across Stirling over the next five years. We’re committed to meeting the needs of our residents for high-quality housing and this project affirms that we are willing to collaborate with all partners necessary to achieve this.

“I’m excited to see this development take shape over the coming months now that spades are in the ground thanks to the support from Forth Housing Association and Carmichael Homes in addition to grant funding from the Scottish Government.”

Housing secretary Màiri McAllan commented: “I am pleased that this affordable housing project in Stirling, supported by the local council and £10.5m in Scottish Government grants, will provide high-quality, efficient homes for people across this area.

“Having a safe, warm and affordable place to call home can have a transformative impact on families and can be a key driver in ending child poverty in Scotland. We have delivered more than 141,000 homes since 2007 and our Housing Emergency Action Plan in September set out major plans for the delivery of 36,000 more over the next four years.”