The £4 million social housing development — which will see 34 new homes constructed on Hill Street and four built on Napier Crescent in Brucehill — was rubber-stamped by council bosses last month.

Both sites formerly had council housing on them but this has now been cleared apart from a small football pitch on a part of the Hill Street site.

As part of the development, Hill Street will be altered to form a loop within the site, with a community garden and playground in the middle of 16 cottage flats. A further 18 detached and semi-detached homes will be built on the outside of the site.

The four homes on Napier Crescent will be terraced houses and will be at the front of the site.

Monthly consultations have been held with residents to discuss the type of homes being built and their design. Dumbarton councillor David McBride, convenor of Housing, says the development is the next chapter in the administration’s commitment to building new homes for the area. Cllr McBride said: “There is an ever growing need for social housing in West Dunbartonshire. The administration has made regeneration of our communities a major priority.

“The new build programme is an important part of our investment in social housing. I am extremely pleased we will be see the construction of much needed homes in Brucehill.” The Hill Street site is designated open space however council officers say the recently opened football pitch nearby and the planned community garden and playground will ensure this open space is adequately replaced.

Cllr McBride added: “The council took a brave decision in 2012 to overturn the previous SNP administration’s policy of partial stock transfer. We backed the tenants and council staff who wanted council homes to remain within local accountable control.

“The council has planned a major investment of new builds and upgrading to reach the SHQS standard at a cost of an unprecedented £85m of investment.

“When this administration began the regeneration in 2012, only 36 per cent of our housing stock reached up to date quality standards. In two years this has risen to around an 80 per cent compliance rate. This investment will continue as we are determined to reach and maintain these quality standards.” The development will be kickstarted next month and it’s expected the homes will be finished by March of next year.