Elgin residents pleased to spend first Christmas in recently acquired Pinegrove homes
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TENANTS of homes in the Pinegrove area of Elgin, which were recently acquired by Moray Council, say they are settling in well ahead of Christmas.
The council took ownership of 34 properties, most of which have been empty for years, from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) earlier this year.
The homes, near the A96, had suffered repeated attacks of vandalism and anti-social behaviour after previous MOD tenants had moved out.
However, the properties have since been refurbished, thanks to grant funding from the Scottish Government, to letting standard.
The three and four bedroom properties have been allocated predominantly to local people who were overcrowded in their previous homes.
Eight of the properties were also offered to Ukrainian and Afghan refugee families as part of the local authority's continued commitment to national resettlement programmes.
Karen McLennan, who relocated from a smaller two-bed property with her partner and two young children in July, said she and the family are delighted to have more space.
She added: "We absolutely love our home, it’s very spacious and the garden is really big, and it’s great to be part of such a new community.
"The kids have others to play with and everyone gets along really well.
"I’ve always wanted a house like this. It’s definitely been worth the wait and I can’t wait to have all the family over for Christmas this year.”
Councillor Amber Dunbar (Elgin North, Conservatives), Moray Council's Housing and Safety Committee chair, met with Karen and the family to see how they were settling in.
She said: "I’m so pleased Moray Council was able to acquire the Pinegrove estate for use as affordable family homes.
"Properties of this size are often in high demand and it’s great to see Karen and her family so happy in their new home and all settled in time for Christmas.
"These are robust and spacious houses, with plenty of storage space, and I want to wish all the residents the very best in their new homes."
