Glasgow Housing Association has started work on its thousandth new home.

The social housing provider reached the milestone while working on a £6m project to construct 44 homes on derelict land between Duke Street and High Street in the east end of the city.

The houses are due to be finished in early 2014 and some north Glasgow tenants whose homes have been demolished will be offered the chance to move in.

They will be a mix of two and three-bedroom flats, built in two blocks. Three will be able to house wheelchair users.


There will also be space for two commercial units.

Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Mathieson told the Glasgow Evening Times: "The rental market is under huge pressure just now and these 44 homes will take us a small but important step closer to our target of building 3500 more homes in Glasgow."

Contractor Cruden Building and Renewables Ltd is taking on responsibility for the site.

GHA's completed new homes so far include: 69 at Oatlands; 259 in north Glasgow; 127 in Govan; 86 in Pollok; 93 in Shawbridge; 23 in Mount Florida; 85 in west Glasgow; and 80 in the east end.

Work is under way on 62 homes in Gallowgate and 75 in Conisborough Road in Easterhouse.

A further 98 homes are being built for GHA tenants at the Games Village in Dalmarnock.

Since the association was set up under the city's housing stock transfer in 2003, it has also spent £1bn modernising almost 70,000 former council homes.

(NE)