The completion of 16 brand new homes in Falmouth by Kier Living last week is testament to the hard work and perseverance of all those involved in their planning and development.

The eight town houses and eight apartments have been developed by leading housing and care provider Sanctuary Group, and their completion follows more than seven years of planning and two complete revisions to the proposals for the site, which was formerly a disused petrol station and car repair workshop.

The £3m development was funded by Sanctuary Group, with support from Cornwall Council and investment of £550,000 from the government's Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

Thanks to the commitment and persistence of Sanctuary and their partners – notably those at Falmouth Town Council, who helped drive the changes to the plans – the scheme has now delivered a range of much needed affordable new homes for rent in the area. Such developments are key for Cornish resort towns like Falmouth where an increase in holiday home ownership in recent years has driven up house prices, making property out of the reach of local people to buy or rent.

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The new timber-framed, energy efficient homes are located at Marina View in North Parade, opposite Falmouth Marina, and have been thoughtfully designed by Truro-based architects Studio Arc to complement the coastal location and the style of existing buildings nearby.

The development has also created the opportunity for training and employment in Falmouth, with Kier Living offering one new bricklaying apprenticeship on the site as the houses and apartments were constructed, and also the opportunity for three existing apprentices to work on the project.

Representatives from Cornwall Council and Falmouth Town Council were given an opportunity to view the completed properties during a tour of the North Parade development last week.

Neil Clements, Sanctuary's development manager for Cornwall, said: "This has not been a straight-forward project, by any means, but the site has always had tremendous potential and we are delighted that it has been transformed to provide a mix of sympathetically designed apartments and houses that are within reach of local people, both in terms of affordability and location."

(CD/JP)