AN £11million new housing development has been unveiled on the site of the old Gallowgate cattle market.

AN £11million new housing development has been unveiled on the site of the old Gallowgate cattle market.

Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell joined new residents to celebrate the opening of the East End project, which has been hailed as a model for the future of contemporary housing.

Molendinar Park Housing Association's Moore Street development has 93 houses and flats to rent or to buy on shared equity and shared ownership schemes.

Mr Maxwell said: "These homes are an excellent example of how housing associations can work with local communities to make real and lasting changes."

Moore Street has been designed to be eco-friendly, with south-facing buildings grouped around semi-public and private courtyards.

The original stone facade of the Gallowgate entrance to the market has been restored and retained.

Created by a collaboration of architects - Richard Murphy, JM Architects, Elder and Cannon, and Page Park - working alongside the housing association, the Moore Street development builds on the success of the award-winning Graham Square, which was completed in 2000.

Greta Smillie, 58, has recently moved with her husband and daughter to one of the new apartments at Moore Street from the high rise blocks in Bluevale Street.

She said: "It is like night and day. The houses are beautiful and the attention to detail is magnificent. The housing association staff have been great and we have never been happier than in our new surroundings."

Sue John, 45, has bought her new home on a shared equity scheme.

She said: "The scheme gives first-time buyers like me the chance to afford good quality housing in a neighbourhood with a real community feel.

"This new Molendinar scheme should be a model for the rest of Glasgow, involving top architects to create excellent design. I am keen to make sure that the land surrounding the scheme is also developed for positive community use, such as farmers' markets, allotments and other environmental projects."

Andy Scott, chairman of Molendinar Park Housing Association, said: "Our aim is to build communities in which people aspire to live and to manage these communities in a way which ensures that they endure.

"In effect we seek to build the conservation areas of tomorrow."

Mr Maxwell added: "I particularly welcome the shared equity element of the housing at Moore Street. One of this Government's highest priorities is taking action on housing and this is a key theme of our economic recovery plan.

"That's why we have extended our Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers scheme to £250million and we are expanding our Open Market Shared Equity Pilot to £60m for 2009/10 to help low income first time buyers across Scotland find affordable homes."