Moray Council took ownership of 34 properties from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), most of which had been empty for years. They were refurbished, supported by grant funding from the Scottish Government, to letting standard.

The three and four-bedroom homes with generous gardens were allocated to applicants requiring the size and type of property on the Council’s list, predominantly local people who were overcrowded in their previous homes.

Eight of the properties were offered to Ukrainian and Afghan refugee families as part of the Council’s commitment to national resettlement programmes.

Cllr Amber Dunbar, Moray Council’s Housing and Safety Committee chair, visited the new development to meet one family and to see how they had settled into their new neighbourhood.

Karen McLennan from Elgin relocated from a smaller two-bed property with her partner David Hirst and children, William (12) and Teigan-Leigh (9), in July.

She’s delighted to have more space: “We absolutely love our home, it’s very spacious and the garden is really big, and it’s a great to be part of such a new community. The kids have others to play with and everyone gets along really well. I’ve always wanted a house like this. It’s definitely been worth the wait and I can’t wait to have all the family over for Christmas this year.”

Cllr Dunbar said: “I’m so pleased Moray Council was able to acquire the Pinegrove estate for use as affordable family homes. Properties of this size are often in high demand and it’s great to see Karen and her family so happy in their new home and all settled in time for Christmas. These are robust and spacious houses, with plenty of storage space, and I want to wish all the residents the very best in their new homes.”