Work is now under way on a £3.6million project to build new council housing in Irvine.

A special groundbreaking ceremony was held last Thursday at Dickson Drive to mark the official start of construction work to build 24 new modern and energy-efficient homes.

The project will deliver 24 new homes, providing a mix of general needs, amenity and accessible homes.

This is the second phase of the Dickson Drive project which has already seen eight properties completed in 2015.

The groundbreaking ceremony was carried out by Provost Ian Clarkson.

Cabinet member for Place, Councillor Jim Montgomerie, said: “We’re proud of the progress we’re making in delivering state-of-the-art, energy-efficient homes for our residents.

“We have made a commitment to deliver more than 1000 new homes across every part of North Ayrshire by 2023 and we’re well on our way to meeting that target. So far, we have completed 260 new homes and the feedback from residents has been fantastic.

“This new phase of the Dickson Drive project is the latest development to get started and I can’t wait to see it completed and ready for residents to move in next summer.”

The second phase of the Dickson Drive project will deliver 24 homes combining a mix of 14 general needs homes, seven wheelchair-liveable homes, and three amenity bungalows. This is to ensure that tenants with a range of needs, including older people and families with complex requirements, are catered for.

The site will also include two unique ‘Sustainable Demonstrator Homes’. These homes will showcase the latest design and technology, and set a benchmark for building sustainable properties at both a local and national level.