House building figures show importance of affordable housing investment in the Highlands
A briefing note issued by The Highland Council indicates that 415 new houses were completed in The Highland Council area between June and September 2010. This is an improvement over the first quarter of the financial year (402) and more than the same period in 2008/9 (383) and 2009/10 (302). Progress is still being made towards the Council programme’s target of 6,000 house completions by 2011, with 5,400 completed.
The two key drivers in the current level of completions have been affordable housing developments and single house plots.
There have been 110 new affordable houses built, such as at Bridgemill - Nairn, Bunoich, Fort Augustus, Nethybridge, North Kessock and Wick.
There have also been 120 new single plot completions.
Councillor Ian Ross, Chairman of the Council’s Planning Environment and Development Committee said: “The most recent figures demonstrate the absolutely vital role that affordable housing development plays in providing much needed housing, but also in supporting the house building industry through this economic downturn.”