Mohanjit Singh plans to enjoy his very active retirement

Published on Friday 23 January 2009 08:58

Tributes have been paid to the head of one of Edinburgh's largest housing associations, who is to retire after more than three decades of service.

Mohanjit Singh started working for Port of Leith Housing Association as its sole employee back in 1976 and now at 56, after 33 years of overseeing the regeneration and development of Leith, he has decided to step down.

Arriving in the UK from India as a child in the late 1950s, Mr Singh grew up in Coventry and moved to Scotland to study business studies at Edinburgh University.

After graduating, he worked with the Housing Corporation and then Link Housing before being recruited by Port of Leith Housing Association.

Leith has changed dramatically since Mr Singh started working with the housing association, renovating tenements in areas such as Balfour Street, Prince Regent Street and Spey Terrace.

Run-down pigeon-inhabited tenements have now been regenerated or replaced with multi-million pound housing and retail developments.

Mr Singh said: "I've been at it for a third of a century and I think that time has moved on, it's time to let the next generation in.

"It seems we've all come a long way away from those days. There's always been tremendous pride in this area, and work carried out by Port of Leith and other local organisations has gradually transformed Leith into an area that is right at the very top of the list of places where people want to live and work.

"Leithers are incredibly welcoming, warm and tolerant. Leith has a particular talent for absorbing newcomers and turning them into Leithers," he added.

Port of Leith has also changed, now employing more than 50 people.

Besides his work with the housing association, having been one of the first people from an ethnic minority community to rise to the top in the housing sector, Mr Singh has worked to encourage others in the black and minority ethnic community to consider a career in housing.

He hopes to continue in his role on the PARK UK board after stepping down from Port of Leith.

Nathan Thompson, managing director of Forth Properties, said: "Mohanjit has been a tireless campaigner for social housing across Scotland, where he has made a great contribution, especially in Leith.

"Under his stewardship Port of Leith Housing Association has grown in size and stature and has played a key role in supporting the regeneration of the waterfront."

Prompted in part by the sudden death of his wife Kay in 2006, Mr Singh has decided to take early retirement, but he has no intention of sitting back and doing nothing.

When he retires in June, Mr Singh says that he plans to indulge his love of cycling and improve his bridge playing. He is also looking forward to travelling a lot.

"I feel that's something I've missed out on working so much.

"I've got a trip planned to Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland and then a few months in India, and I want to see the Far East and South America.

"I want to have the stamina and good health to enjoy it before old age overtakes me," he added.