A massive £88m is being spent over the next three years to build new and improve existing social housing stock across the Falkirk Council area.

Plans announced today (12 February) will see a significant investment being carried out in 2014/15 including:

• Re-roofing and roughcasting of properties (£6.7m);
• Electrical, kitchen and bathroom replacement work (£4.7m including £1m for Carbon Monoxide detector installation);
• Energy efficiency improvement work (£4.9m)
• Completion of improvement works to the remainder of Falkirk’s hi-rise blocks (£2.5m).

All of the work is related to Falkirk Council’s drive towards meeting national acceptable standards for housing by 2015.

242 new homes will built (at a total cost of £13.7m over the 3 year programme) in Falkirk, Maddiston, Grangemouth, Camelon, Stenhousemuir, Denny and Bo’ness as part of Falkirk Council’s ongoing house building programme that has already seen 132 homes completed.

It is also intended to provide £5m annually for the next three years to fund the ‘buyback’ of around 70 and 80 former Council houses per annum to help meet housing demand.

Councillor Gerry Goldie, spokesperson for Housing said: “The investment and improvements we have planned will make a real difference to thousands of tenants across the area.

“It is bringing an improvement to neighbourhoods and to the quality of life right across the area.

“We are especially pleased to see we are on track to meet our national targets when it comes to the standards required and that we are providing nearly 250 new homes of different styles and sizes that will be available to rent.”

Rents across the area will rise by an average of £1.99 per week representing an increase of around 3.6% on the current rate. The rent paid by Falkirk Council’s tenants however remains at the third lowest in Scotland, whilst also being one of the highest spending Council’s in relation to improving the condition of our stock.

Councillor Gerry Goldie added: “The rent levels were set after a wide consultation with our tenants with the majority (60%) either satisfied or very satisfied regarding the level of the proposed rent increase.”