Residents were 'roped into' opening a new £5m housing development in Port Glasgow

A total of 41 new build properties at Bay Street, on part of the site of the former Gourock Ropeworks, were officially unveiled at a special ceremony yesterday.

The River Clyde Homes (RCH) development, which was partly funded by the Scottish Government, includes a a mix of two and three bedroom houses, one and two bedroom flats and a fully adapted flat.

All the new homes are now fully occupied apart from the specially adapted flat, which has been allocated.

Gary Wilson, executive director of property services at RCH, says the development is an exciting landmark for the association, which is on track to build 750 new homes in Inverclyde by April 2021.

Mr Wilson said: "This is the first stage of 750 new homes over the next four years.

"At the moment we are working in Slaemuir where we are building 96 new homes and in the Mallard Crescent area of Greenock there are going to be 20 new homes.

"At James Watt Dock there will be 136 and in planning there are three other schemes we are looking at which we will hopefully start this year."

Mr Wilson says the new homes are built at a very high standard to ensure they are sustainable well into the future and can also be easily adapted to meet the needs of residents.

He added: "We are trying to build social housing in the mid market type specification because we believe that it's more sustainable in the future.

"We are trying to raise the benchmark."

Catlyn Johnstone, 26, who has moved into one of the new houses with her parents Tommy and Frances, says she loves her new home.

She said: "It's wonderful because it's a community.

"We have better neighbours, as we can nip into their house for sugar - it's just like the old days."