The parents of an Aberdeenshire boy with complex learning difficulties including Down’s Syndrome are celebrating after being handed the keys to a new-build home which has been specially adapted for them by Osprey Housing Group.

Kevin and Patricia Logie moved into their Stonehaven house on 24th September 2019 with daughter Jessica, 12, Oliver, six, Harrison, 22 months, and four-year-old Reece, who faces multiple medical challenges associated with Down’s and requires 24-hour care.

They had been living in a property in Kemnay where all three bedrooms and the bathroom were upstairs, and the front and rear gardens were reached by steps and bounded by low fences.

Mrs Logie, 42, said: ‘We could not let Reece out into the garden as he has no depth perception and risked falling. He had also worked out how to unlock doors, so his brothers and sister were allowed out to play, but he would have to stay inside.

‘He would be crying at the windows.’

Reece also had to share a bedroom with his siblings and his night waking and crying disturbed the whole family, including Jessica who is in her first year at Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen after being awarded a 100% scholarship.

Osprey was able to work with Reece’s occupational therapist and social care team to find a solution, delivering a house specifically adapted to his needs within the new £5.16 million Carron Den mixed development.

The four-bedroom, energy-efficient semi-detached property gives Reece his own bedroom and wet room on the ground floor with three further bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. The garden has been fitted with the right kind of boundary fencing, access is on the level, and the property is also sound-proofed, so the family no longer needs to worry about Reece potentially disturbing the neighbours.

Mrs Logie said: ‘The new house is making such a difference to us. Now we can feel safe because we’ve got the downstairs bedroom and wet room and we’ve got level access to the rear of the house.

‘That’s taken the pressure off us as a family, and I can’t emphasise enough how happy and thankful we are to get this house.’

Mr Logie, 60, added: ‘I want to thank Osprey for making our lives worth living.’

Carron Den is a development of 43 properties, 32 of them social housing and 11 mid-market rentals. As well as customising a home for the Logies, Osprey Housing Group has included four further properties adapted to allow residents with learning disabilities to move into their first independent tenancy.

By working closely with Aberdeenshire Council, Osprey was able to identify individuals who would benefit most from supported independence and deliver customised specifications.

Stacy Angus, Osprey Housing Services Manager, said: ‘The positive impact of these properties is significant — where they are, how they have been designed, and the needs they have met.

‘For us at Osprey, this is more than just the provision of houses — it’s about the human factor and changing people’s lives by providing the homes they need. The social impact of getting this right is far wider than the properties themselves and brings positive community benefits.’

The Carron Den development was supported by a £3.05 million Scottish Government grant and £2.11 million in private funding from Lloyds Banking Group. The final phase will be handed over to residents on 9 March.

For more articles please visit our News and Events section.