Mactaggart & Mickel Contracts hosts industry event to showcase the potential

of partnership working

Mactaggart & Mickel Contracts has hosted an event to showcase its affordable housing development, built in partnership with Dunedin Canmore Housing Association, at Lochrin Basin, Fountainbridge in Edinburgh.

The event, which was exclusive to members of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), provided attendees with the opportunity to see the quality finish of the affordable apartments and hear directly from Ewan Fraser, chief executive of Dunedin Canmore Housing Association, about his perspective on the future partnership opportunities between private housebuilders, RSLs and housing associations.

2009 marked an unprecedented move for private housebuilder Mactaggart & Mickel Contracts when the company made its entry into the external contracting market.  Its first contract, with Dunedin Canmore Housing Association, was to complete 22 affordable 1-2 bedroom apartments, housed in two 3-4 storey blocks at the Lochrin Basin site in Edinburgh.

The lochrin project used Mactaggart & Mickel’s Timber Systems division, providing products that maximise modern construction methods including highly insulated wall panels, floor cassettes and roof panels. The specification was enhanced with high quality windows and doors mixed with robust fixtures and fittings. The first tenants are expected to move into the attractive apartments by early June.

Ewan Fraser, chief executive of Dunedin Canmore Housing Association, commented: “We are marking a very important partnership through the completion of this affordable housing development at Lochrin Basin. It’s amazing to have an affordable housing development like this right in Edinburgh city centre.   A private luxury housing developer and a housing association working together and learning from each other like this is a real asset for both sectors, and I’m pleased that Mactaggart & Mickel Group is going to be in the affordable housing sector for the long term.

“This location is very important to us as Dunedin Canmore has been working here, in one guise or another, for 40 years. It’s not often sites like this are available to us as they have been very expensive. Working with Mactaggart & Mickel has represented a terrific opportunity and this has been a very well-managed partnership. It’s important that we continue to share information and skills throughout the whole housing sector.”

Peter Shepherd, head of production for Mactaggart & Mickel Contracts, commented: “This successful project is exemplar of what can be achieved through partnership working. This event provided the opportunity for SFHA members to see first hand the benefits of such an alliance. Mactaggart & Mickel Contracts appreciates the contribution it can make to the long term growth of new build affordable housing in Scotland and we look forward to forming similar such partnerships in the future.”

For information on forthcoming Mactaggart & Mickel industry events, please log on to http://www.macmic.co.uk/timbersystems/signUpEvents.asp