By Ian McConnell

The first houses in a 224-home development on a former high school site will be handed over later this year.

The new development by River Clyde Homes at the former St Stephen’s High School site in Port Glasgow, between Kilmacolm Road and Southfield Avenue, comprises affordable housing for rent, as well as specialist housing for residents with additional needs, including 24 dementia-friendly flats and eight wheelchair-accessible flats as well as further retirement housing.

River Clyde Homes, Inverclyde's largest housing association, said allocations for properties would take place in three phases. Phase one of the project comprises 30 houses and 24 flats, with work set to be completed by mid-September. Phases two and three will involve the construction of 170 further homes, with work expected to be concluded by July 2022.

The energy-efficient properties range in size from one to three-bedroom properties, which River Clyde Homes said reflected "the diverse requirements of the local community".

River Clyde Homes noted the development was one of a range of projects which !are progressing despite inevitable temporary delays due to Covid-19 restrictions".

It noted it had already handed over homes from two developments during the Covid-19 pandemic, "all thanks to the hard work and determination of our development partners Cruden Building".