Construction starts on 112-home Mosset Meadows site in Forres
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Building work has started at a new housing development which will see 112 homes built in Forres.
Materials are arriving at ‘Mosset Meadows’, which is west of Grantown Road and adjacent to the B-listed Knockomie Inn
Jo McLaren, Tulloch Homes’ sales and marketing director said the company is accepting indications of interest from prospective homebuyers.
She added: "A selection of two, three and four bedroom detached and semi-detached homes, plus apartments, will be built.
"Forty per cent of the area will be open space or woodland – lending itself to the kind of post-pandemic lifestyle we’re seeing great demand for from couples and families.
"House styles will be from Tulloch’s Premier Collection and there will be a network of walks and cycle paths plus extensive new planting of trees, shrubs and wild flowers."
Moray Council planners approved the building of 84 private and 28 affordable homes at the 7.6 hectare Knockomie site a year ago.
As well as landscaped public open space, the development will also include a play park and landscaped public open space.
Tulloch Homes has appointed National House Builders Council award-winner, Alastair Paul, as site manager.
He said: "I’m highly impressed with the location and the greenery which will be a feature of the site.
"Our team is being put in place to start pouring concrete foundations in October. Moray firm, Billy Miller, has been awarded the contract for the civil engineering works.
"House kits will then follow as construction swings into action."
Passers-by may have noticed a small portion of the site alongside the Grantown Road was sectioned off for a few months after it was originally surveyed.
A Tulloch spokesman confirmed there was an Iron Age discovery in the archaeology works commissioned in line with the firm’s planning consent obligations.
He said: "These expert findings have now been summarised and reported to Moray Council.
"Planning consent now allows Tulloch Homes to begin work following submission of this report."
The report from Aberdeenshire Council Archaeology Service, which provides an archaeology service for Moray Council, stated: "A large number of features, ranging in date from Neolithic through to Iron Age have been mapped, excavated and sampled, and all on site works are now complete.
"This approach, preservation by record, removes the archaeological features from the site, and there is therefore no reason for development not to continue in this area."
A Moray Council spokesperson responded to a claim that another housing development in Forres will add to pressure on local infrastructure:
The spokesperson said: "Pressures are addressed through measures including developers being required to contribute towards improvements.
"In this instance contributions are being sought towards the provision of primary education, healthcare, transportation, sport and recreation facilities and this is secured with a legal agreement, to mitigate the impact of the development.
"Developer obligations for transport interventions are being sought towards junction improvements at Orchard Road and Thornhill Road, and future town bus services.
"The developer also agreed to fund off-site foot and cycle connection."
