By Ian McConnell
THE Scottish housebuilder behind a new 150-home development at Stewarton in Ayrshire has expressed its continuing confidence that the residential property market north of the Border will "remain strong" in spite of the coronavirus crisis.
Avant Homes announced yesterday that it was pushing ahead with the development at Stewarton after completing the purchase of a 22.3-acre piece of land.
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Asked how the housebuilder saw the current state of, and prospects for, the housing market in Scotland amid the economic fall-out from the coronavirus pandemic, Avant Homes area managing director for Scotland and north-east England Scott Varley said: "Since restarting our Scotland build programme in July we have seen positive interest and demand from prospective buyers. This has led to a rate of sale that has exceeded our initial expectations following the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic."
He added: “We remain optimistic that the housing market in Scotland will remain strong especially with the recent announcements of the lowered land and buildings transaction tax threshold and the first home fund scheme extension, which we believe will support sales momentum further in 2021.”
Planning approval for the £40.8 million development of two, three and four-bedroom homes, on Loudon Street, was granted in March by East Ayrshire Council. Avant, which described Stewarton as a “sought-after” town, is now preparing for initial groundworks to start later this year.
Avant said the land had been purchased from private landowners.
Asked if it was part of the land deal that Avant would acquire it only after planning permission had been obtained, a company spokeswoman said: “Yes – following obtaining planning permission in March 2020 we then went on to acquire the land.”
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