WATCH: First glimpse inside new homes for rent as demand soars

A ribbon-cutting ceremony has taken place in Jedburgh today (Wednesday) to celebrate the completion of a new 70-home social housing development.

Scottish Borders Housing Association revealed it received more than 1,000 bids for the properties on the town’s former Howdenburn Primary School site.

Two-thirds are already occupied, with the remaining keys to be handed over to the remaining tenants next month.

Outgoing chief executive Julia Mulloy told Greatest Hits Radio: “The lovely quote that we had from one tenant is that it’s life-changing.

“We know from the thousands of people who are registered with us, and other housing associations across the Borders, the demand is enormous.

“Our commitment is to keep doing more – to build more homes.

“The nice thing is that when we do build, sometimes the people who move in are freeing up other social housing, so it actually creates more homes.”

WATCH: Click on the link below to view our video report…

A report published last year revealed 93 per cent of employers in the region say a lack of access to suitable housing is impacting on their ability to recruit and retain staff.

The South of Scotland Community Housing document recommends that public landowners do more to identify and release sites for development, and that an action plan is developed to make it happen.

READ MORE: Has the ‘Kingdom of Kubala’ returned to Jedburgh?

Addressing guests, Ms Mulloy said: “When we got involved in this site it was just a big field and now it’s 70 really lovely homes.

“In a housing emergency, this is part of the response, and we face unprecedented times in terms of demand.

“These homes are built for the future – they’re warm, they’re energy efficient, they have low running costs; and I think in a cost of living crisis they become even more important.

“We don’t know where energy prices are going at the moment, it’s a very uncertain world. So it’s just great to know that people will have the security of homes that are well built and well designed.”

More to follow…

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