£675,000 funding will go towards tackling housing waiting list of 470 disabled Scottish veterans

A housing estate in Edinburgh for disabled war veterans has been given the go ahead after Help for Heroes awarded builders a £675,000 grant.

The Scottish Veterans Garden City Association (SVGCA) charity plans to construct five new specialist properties in the Salvesen area of the capital.

Help for Heroes is funding 65% of the development and the cash, combined with funding from the Scottish Government, Edinburgh City Council and Libor fines, means the scheme, which consists of two and three bedroomed units to cater for young families, can now begin.

As with all SVGCA homes, they will be available to disabled veterans and their families for life and will be designed to meet their specialist needs.

Bryn Parry, chief executive and co-founder of Help for Heroes, said: “Having somewhere to call home is a vital step in the transition into civilian life, not just for veterans but for their whole family.

Having somewhere to call home is a vital step in the transition into civilian life, not just for veterans but for their whole family

“Help for Heroes is all too aware of the housing shortage in Scotland for our injured and wounded and are only too happy to be making this substantial contribution towards five purpose-built new homes.”

SGVCA is a Scottish charity which houses the greatest number of disabled veterans in the UK.

Founded in 1915, its mission is to provide reasonably priced rental housing for disabled veterans in Scotland and currently has 614 houses in 74 locations throughout the country.

Peter Minshall, chief executive of SVGCA, said: “There is no doubt that this magnificent lead grant from Help for Heroes provides the green light for us to complete our building programme in Edinburgh which will benefit five more disabled veterans and their families.”

Help for Heroes Court is expected to be completed by September 2015.