A GREENOCK resident celebrated his new home and marked a milestone for Oak Tree Housing Association.

John McDonagh is the association's 5,000th tenant since it merged with Bow Farm, James Watt and Victoria housing associations back in 2001.

Oak Tree held an afternoon tea to mark the occasion and also invited Anne McEachnie, their longest serving tenant, having joined James Watt Housing Association nearly 30 years ago.

Anne lived in the West Station area of Greenock when James Watt Housing was formed in 1986 and it began refurbishing a number of properties designated as Housing Action Areas for Improvement.

Anne moved to one of the first completed flats in the town centre in October 1989, where she has lived ever since.

She said: "Whenever I have asked for anything it has always been done right away.”

John, who moved to his flat in the east end of Greenock in March, says he loves his new home and its great view.

He said: “I am looking forward to a long tenancy to match Anne’s years with Oak Tree.”

Housing manager Hazel Aitken said: “A member of our team noticed at the start of the year that tenant number 5,000 was coming up and everyone agreed this was an exciting milestone for us to reach.

"It’s been lovely having John and Anne together with us to celebrate the occasion.”

Director Nick Jardine presented Anne and John with a small gift and voucher to mark the milestone and celebrate their Oak Tree tenancies.

Oak Tree has grown over the decades from a small number of houses in each of the three organisations that formed it 18 years ago.

Thanks to a programme of building, it now has 1,745 properties in its portfolio, with 171 re-let last year.

A new-build scheme of 36 houses is also currently under way at Greenock's Auchmead Road, with several other sites in the pipeline to start development this year.

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Nick Jardine (left) and Hazel Aitken (second right), are pictured with Anne McEachnie and John McDonagh during their visit to the Oak Tree Housing Association office.