Highland Council announced a bold move yesterday to construct 600 affordable homes over the next five years. This measurable initiative cuts straight to the heart of the region’s emergency housing crisis. Yet the council had recently acknowledged a urgent need for 24,000 higher houses over the next decade. This urgency further emphasizes the need to address this chronic challenge.
The housing association leading on this project hopes this will go some way to addressing the urgent need for more affordable housing across the Highlands. The project will start with the building of the initial 125 homes to start. This remarkable initiative comes from a new £10 million loan from the Bank of Scotland. The homes will be primarily focused in various communities such as Ullapool, Tain, Alness, Invergordon, Nethy Bridge and Conon Bridge.
They will do this by creating badly-needed homes that are infill development and benefit from 21st century, energy-efficient building techniques. Each unit will contain cutting-edge insulation and solar panels. By focusing on this sustainable and smart design, it lowers the energy costs for future residents. This design approach supports sustainable, equitable environmental goals and helps keep housing affordable for our nation’s lowest income residents who need it most.
Highland Council is committed to throwing everything they can at the housing emergency. They know better than anyone that there is a critical lack of available housing choice in the greater region. The lack of available homes has long exacerbated the burdens faced by families and individuals without a stable home. Through this new development, Lisieux Community hopes to make a positive impact on the community by continuing to offer the most accessible housing solutions.
Construction is set to start soon on these first homes. The stakeholders are thrilled and hopeful that this investment will pave the way for further progress in years to come. The successful execution of this project could serve as a model for addressing similar housing challenges throughout Scotland and beyond.
