Plans to spend £6.5million on more than 50 council houses in Moray region have been rubber-stamped by the local authority.
Springfield Properties aims to start construction “as soon as possible” after having its tenders for the work in Elgin, Forres and Buckie accepted.
Springfield will build a mix of 15 flats and bungalows along Barhill Road in Buckie.
Consent was also given for 20 houses at Ferrylea in Forres, which the firm hopes will ultimately form part of an affordable housing development of 100 homes.
And the Elgin-based company will transform Linkwood Steadings, on the south-eastern outskirts of the town, into 16 homes as part of a massive project in that area.
The firm has lodged plans to build 106 homes around Linkwood in the near future, and aims to expand the southern fringe of Elgin by 2,500 homes over the next three to four decades.
Sprinfgfield’s partnerships managing director, Tom Leggeat, said: “To have over 50 new affordable homes approved by the council is fantastic news for us and the people of Moray.
“We are fortunate to have such a strong and established working partnership with Moray Council, we’ve already worked with the authority to deliver over 900 homes.
“To be able to support them further to meet their target of 50 new affordable homes each year is hugely important to us.
“We can expect each project to support around 30 jobs in the area and we are looking to start all three as soon as we can.”
The Scottish Government will provide about £3million towards the cost of creating the 51 homes.
Moray Council has set a target of building 50 new council houses each year for the next decade, to help meet demand for affordable housing.
Chairman of the council’s communities committee, George Alexander, said: “This is excellent news for those waiting for rented housing in Moray, and it shows that the council is determined to uphold its promises regarding affordable housing.”