Ground Broken on 17 New Affordable Homes in Newton Mearns

A groundbreaking ceremony has taken place to commemorate the beginning of construction at a new affordable housing development in Newton Mearns.

CCG (Scotland) is building 17 homes for East Renfrewshire Council on Barrhead Road, where 4 one-bed cottage flats, 12 two-bed flats and 1 two-bed bungalow are set for completion by autumn 2026.

The development represents an investment of more than £4.3million, with £1.9million funding from the Scottish Government, as well as developer contributions and the Council’s own capital investment.

The new homes will be constructed using CCG’s enhanced closed panel ‘iQ’ Timber System – integrated with high-performing PVCu windows – to deliver advanced airtightness and thermal performance to naturally reduce energy demand, while space heating and hot water services will be provided by a mix of air-source and exhaust air-source systems.

Designed by MAST Architects, three of the new homes will be fully wheelchair-adaptable, with level access provided for all to ensure the needs of a wide range of tenants both now and in the future.

Following the delivery of more than 100 new build council homes in the Maidenhill area of Newton Mearns over recent years, this development had been planned for 2026 but has been brought forward to help tackle the local housing emergency, declared in 2024.

Housing and Environment Convener, Councillor Danny Devlin, said: “I am delighted that we’re going to provide people with these high-quality homes. Having declared the local housing emergency last year, we know that more people than ever are in need of a permanent place to call home, so it’s extremely important that we do all we can to create more social housing in the area and tackle the issues we’re facing.”

Council Leader Owen O’Donnell added: “Providing high-quality homes and housing options is essential if we want everyone in East Renfrewshire to flourish, thrive and grow. With energy bills continuing to rise, I’m pleased that these homes will be equipped with modern, energy-efficient heating and insulation, helping our tenants to save money. This development reflects our ongoing commitment to local residents, and I look forward to seeing this site complete and new tenants move in next year.”

A spokesperson for CCG (Scotland) said: “We are delighted to have made our return to East Renfrewshire with Barrhead Road, where we are once again working on behalf of the Council to bring highly sustainable, much-needed affordable housing to Newton Mearns.

“The development will not only help address localised housing needs and demand, but it will also bring a range of benefits to the wider community, including jobs, work placements for young people, and career-based engagement with local schools. We thank East Renfrewshire Council for choosing CCG to bring this challenging site forward, and we look forward to working alongside them, as well as our design team and supply chain partners, over the year ahead.”

Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “I welcome the beginning of work on East Renfrewshire Council’s Barrhead Road development in Newton Mearns. The 17 new, high-quality, energy-efficient council houses, backed by £1.9 million of Scottish Government funding, will increase the supply of affordable housing in the local community, providing homes for generations to come. We have supported the delivery of more than 139,000 affordable homes since 2007, with more than 99,000 of those for social rent – including more than 28,000 council homes.”

The Barrhead Road development was procured via Scotland Excel.