West Dunbartonshire Council is on track to meet its target of delivering 1000 new affordable homes by the end of the financial year, it has been revealed.
The local authority was tasked with delivering the new homes by the end of 2021 and has developed 422 since 2013 so far at various locations in Dumbarton, Alexandria and Clydebank.
During a housing committee it was confirmed that at least another 575 homes would be developed by the end of the financial year by West Dunbartonshire housing associations.
Conservative councillor Sally Page said: “We have developed 422 homes over the last eight years. The ambition is for 1000, which leaves approximately 580 to be developed by the housing association.
“Have those houses been completed? I understand there would be a setback because of the pandemic but have we achieved our goal of 1000 homes by 2021?”
Peter Barry, chief officer of housing and employability, said: “I am very happy to report that our estimated figure for completion by the end of this financial year, bearing in mind the programme was pushed back a year because of covid, we are looking at around 997 houses.
“We might be three poles shy of the thousand but we are very much on track for the full completion of the programme.”
The council is also looking to develop a further 162 houses at Dumbarton Harbour, Queens Quay and Clydebank over the next 12 to 18 months.
Council Leader Jonathon McColl said: “There hadn’t been council houses built in a long time when I first became a councillor in 2007 and we really did kick-start that process.
“We have increased the quality of the homes and we have gone from strength to strength. We have had good political leadership across the chamber throughout multiple terms to get to where we are today and we have had fantastic leadership within the housing team so thank you to everyone involved.”
