Positive feedback has been received from tenants of the Lord Street flats who are being relocated to the Peel Road social housing development.

Tenants attended an open day at Douglas town hall to learn more information about Douglas Council’s £12.6 million development and take a digital tour.

This gave them the opportunity to view the interior of typical flats, details of fittings and fixtures, floorplans and examples of carpets and washers/dryers that could be fitted to each flat.

Leslie Smith, who has lived in Lord Street since the 1990s and has been relocated to a one-bedroom flat in the new development, said: ’At first I was happy to stay where I was, but then circumstances led to me gaining a new perspective on life and I am now looking forward to moving.

’I’m sure there’ll soon be a little community formed of familiar faces from Lord Street.

’I’ve been very impressed with how the council has been so supportive throughout the whole process, keeping us up to date with progress and the open day’s been very useful to give us an idea of how our new homes will look.’

The 66 flats occupy the site of the former Athol Garage on Peel Road and the project is being headed up by the council along with the developer, Dandara, with support from the Department of Infrastructure.

In the development, there is a mix of one- and two-bedroom flats, a number of which are designed for disabled use. The heating is all-electric in the council’s attempt to move away from fossil fuel power and there is provision for recycling and off-street parking.

Housing and property committee chairman Councillor Janet Thommeny added: ’I’m delighted with the encouraging feedback we received from the open day.

’We aimed to provide tenants with as much information as possible and, thanks to the hard work of our officers and other parties in arranging the event, it’s fair to say that we achieved our ambition.

’We’re truly grateful to our tenants for sharing their views.

’Findings from the open day will not only help to strengthen engagement with our tenants but will also serve to inform the council’s programme of future social housing developments’.

The flats are due to be completed by March.