Council progresses affordable housing developments in the Highlands

A package of land sales and loans to the value of £4.094 million, which will enable the development of over 150 affordable homes in the Highlands, was yesterday (17 Sep. 08) agreed by The Highland Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee.

Councillor Margaret Davidson, Chair of The Highland Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee said: “I welcome these land sales and funding that the Council is investing into affordable housing in the Highlands particularly in our rural areas. This package supports The Highland Council Administration’s targets of delivering 2,000 affordable homes by 2012.”

Highland Councillors have agreed to sell two sites in Inverness at Cauldeen Road and Bught Drive to Cairn Housing Association at the value of £28,600 to create 18 affordable housing units.

Agreement was also given to offer interest free loans of up to:

• £65,000 to Lochaber Housing Association to assist with the purchase of land in the centre of Strontian which will enable 3 affordable housing units;
• £80,000 to The Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust to assist in the purchase of a site in Gairloch which will enable 8 affordable housing units;
• £200,000 to Albyn Housing Association to assist in the purchase of a site at Smithon, Inverness which will enable 14 affordable housing units;
• £200,000 to the Highland Housing Alliance to assist in the purchase of  2 key areas of land at Pitkerrald, Drumnadrochit; and a further £60,000 to fund feasibility studies into the development of affordable housing at these sites;
• £60,000 to Highland Housing Alliance to assist in the purchase of a semi-derelict building at Lower Pulteneytown, Wick which would be redeveloped into 12 affordable housing units.

Short term, forward funding which will be repaid by the Scottish Government was also agreed of up to:

• £100,000 to Albyn Housing Society for a project in Carrbridge that will create 5 affordable houses; and
• £2.4 million to Cairn Housing Association to develop 8 affordable housing units at Great North Road, Muir of Ord, 26 affordable homes at Woodside of Culloden, Inverness, and 25 affordable homes at Dalfaber, Aviemore.

Funding was also agreed for high costs development schemes using Council Tax revenues form second and holiday homes and will be offered to:

• Albyn Housing Society (up to £75,000) to assist in the provision of 5 affordable houses for rent in Kingussie;
• Lochaber Housing Association (up to £260,000) to provide 23 houses for affordable rent and low cost home ownership in Arisaig and Morar; and
• Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association (up to £308,000) to provide 24 houses for affordable rent and low cost home ownership in Plockton.