LOCAL councillors have moved to quash rumours that residents from Glasgow area would be moving into new social housing at a development in Largs.

The former Largs Academy site has been transformed to provide 122 homes comprising of council housing, supported accommodation houses and a 28-unit sheltered housing complex.

Social media had been awash this week with stories that a Glasgow housing agency had financially contributed to the project in return for residents from the city moving to the town.

The News moved to clarify the facts and can confirm the claims to be false.

Labour councillor Alex Gallagher, who has been a supporter of the social housing programme, said: "These rumours are completely untrue and I have refuted them on a number of occasions already.

"These council houses are to be welcomed - and they are for the people of North Ayrshire. If we can use them to help solve the local housing problem, that has got to be a good thing.

"We have a lot of bad rented and sub standard let accommodation locally and we need to get people out of these houses and into decent homes.

"No deals have been done with any other council authority areas - it is complete rubbish and why social media shouldn't be trusted."

Conservative councillor Tom Marshall explained how the tenants will be chosen.

He said: "The residents for the accommodation will be nominated by social work.

"I have had assurances from that department that it will only be North Ayrshire people who will be placed in this supported accommodation - and this is good news.

"The rumours of people coming from the Glasgow area to stay in these new builds has no foundation, as far as I am aware.

"If it ever was to be the case, then I would not be supportive of it.

"The people who are being allocated these homes are going to people who are from the localoty and generally have a local connection to the town."

A few residents have already moved into the new Largs Flatt Road development.

The £20 million project will eventually include general needs homes, supported accommodation, amenity bungalows and a sheltered housing complex - which will incorporate a community hub.

Cllr Gallagher described the council investment in the project as 'the best £20m spent in North Ayrshire in the last 20 years'.