WORK is finally set to restart on a new multi-million pound plan to build more affordable housing in Inverclyde following delays during the pandemic.

Contractors have moved in to start a £5 million development of around 70 new homes for Oak Tree in Greenock's Tweed Street.

Meanwhile a £1.4m programme by River Clyde Homes will see 20 new units on the site of the former Cumberland Walk shops.

It is part of a drive to have 800 new affordable houses in the area, with a total of £60m needed in the next five years to meet that goal.

A report by Inverclyde Council's environment and regeneration director Scott Allan said: "Housing development was halted in March 2020 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant national lockdown.

"Construction sites were closed which resulted in delays.

"The delivery of around 800 units across Inverclyde through projects previously estimated for completion by March 2021 will now mainly be delayed by three to six months following the easing of lockdown measures."

In Tweed Street 69 new homes will be created - a mix of two, three and four bed accommodation.

Thirty-two of the houses can be readily adapted to accommodate wheelchair accessibility.

Plans for 16 houses to be built at Strone Farm by Oak Tree are currently on hold due to contractual issues, but the council says it hopes these problems will be resolved shortly.

The Greenock-based housing association will also aim to deliver a further 84 homes across sites at Drumfrochar Road and Houston Street.

Oak Tree are committed to a total of 200 affordable houses and last year completed a development at the former Ravenscraig Primary site.

River Clyde Homes have a number of plots under construction across Greenock and Port Glasgow, which will add over 400 more affordable homes.

This will include Cumberland Walk, which was long regarded as an eyesore by local people until the flats and shops underneath them were bulldozed.

The site is now ready for site investigation and feasibility stage works.

Meanwhile Sanctuary are close to completing nearly 100 new houses across Greenock and Port Glasgow and Cloch Housing are well on the way with 58 units at the old King’s Glen School.