Ayreshire Housing Steel House Upgrade

Ayrshire Housing has recently completed a £500,000 refurbishment of 21 steel houses in Ayr’s Forehill neighbourhood. They are part of a group of British Iron and Steel Federation (BISF) houses built in the immediate post-war years for the Scottish Special Housing Association (SSHA).

The work by contractor CCG included new insulated cladding and roofs, and positive input ventilation. It complemented previous investment by the association in high performance windows and heating systems. The improvements now mean that these 60 year old houses are as energy efficient as any new house. Many of the BISF houses have been sold over the years through the right to buy. Ayrshire Housing has therefore kept its enhancement work as discrete as possible so as not to detract from the owners’ own improvement efforts.

The four local Councillors – Ian Douglas, Mary Kilpatrick, Brian McGinley and Corri Wilson – have just visited the completed scheme. After hearing from the tenants about the quality of the work, they complemented Ayrshire Housing for its efforts. They were particularly delighted to meet Mrs Heathcote who first moved into a then split new BISF house as a young girl in 1950. Many of the BISF Houses located in the North were split into two residences, as a maisonette would be split today. She now lives in an identical house across the road from the old family home.

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