Site works begin at two new Highland housing developments

Works are progressing at two developments by Highland Housing Alliance that will deliver more than 80 homes.Onsite building works are under way at Glenfield in Ullapool, which will see 49 homes becoming available in winter 2019, while demolition work nears completion at a 37-home project in Inverness city centre.With funding from the Scottish Government, City Region Deal and the Highland Council, Highland Housing Alliance is developing the Glenfield site in conjunction with the council and Cairn Housing Association. The properties are being constructed by Compass Building and Construction Services which is also developing homes for private sale.The mixed development at Glenfield Park (the site of the former Glenfield Hotel) comprises 49, one, two and three bedroom homes for sale, mid-market rent and social rent.Six mid-market properties will be available for rent from HHA Homes; eight affordable homes will be available from Cairn Housing Association with a further 20 affordable homes available from the council. Fifteen properties on this development are for sale from Compass Building & Construction Services through Anderson, Shaw and Gilbert in Inverness.Meanwhile the Highland Council and Highland Housing Alliance are another step closer towards the construction of Wyvern House on Academy Street, Inverness as the demolition of the existing building nears completion.Work at 79 Academy Street, formerly known as Farm Foods, is progressing well and as clearing the site draws to an end, the scene is set to transform the prime city centre site into 37 new 1 and two bedroom flats for rent along with commercial units.This project to bring life back to a derelict site and create new affordable city centre homes, funded by a package including money from the council, Highland Housing Alliance, the Scottish Government and the Highland City Region Deal, complements the regeneration work already underway on Academy Street.The contractor is Morrison Construction and the next stage will involve arrival of the crane and delivery of the new build system.In the 50’s and 60’s the site was the premises of the SMT Vauxhall Garage and one of its best-selling models at the time was the Wyvern car. A Wyvern is a legendary creature with a dragon’s head and wings that often appears in heraldry and features in many Celtic images.