8 July 08
Help To Improve Highland Homes - Repair and Improvement Grants
Residents in the Highlands may be eligible for a council grant to help towards making improvements to their home so homeowners, tenants, crofters and landlords are being advised to check to see if they qualify for help. Grants are available to homeowners who have lived their property for at least 2 years and who use the property as their main residence. Disabled homeowners are automatically entitled for help with certain improvement work provided that the Council is satisfied that the works are necessary. Crofters are treated as homeowners and additional help may be available to them through the Crofter’s Commission Croft House Grant Scheme. Landlords may get a grant if they let their property to people who are not members of their family.  If they let their property to disabled tenants, they are obliged to carry out certain work. Tenants can apply to get a grant for any work that is their responsibility under their lease, but they will be required to seek the permission of their landlord.

24 May 08
Second Home Council Tax Funds To Help Meet Rural Housing Shortage
Extra Council Tax paid by owners of second and holiday homes in the Highlands is to be increasingly targeted at providing affordable homes in rural communities where development costs are high and a housing need has been identified. The additional income derived over the past two years from the reduction in Council Tax discount (from 50% to 10%) is £4.7 million.

In the first year of the "windfall", this income has been used to buy land for future development and pay for the costs of preparing these sites as well as rural housing but in future it will be focused on high-cost rural schemes. Committee members recognised that major challenges are experienced in developing housing in rural areas due to site conditions, high infrastructure costs, the lack of contractors and the lack of economies of scale.

Individual projects in high cost rural areas will be presented to the committee for approval as they are identified throughout the year.

Committee Chairman, Councillor Margaret Davidson, said: "The use of the additional Council Tax income on second and holiday homes will put money back into the very communities that are experiencing housing shortages because of high levels of second home ownership. We will prioritise part-funding of high cost rural projects in areas of housing need and in accordance with our housing strategy."

The Committee has also agreed to forward fund new affordable housing projects using the Council's landbank fund, which currently stands at almost £10 million. The landbank fund is used to grant loans to housing agencies, enabling them to landbank strategic sites in the Highlands and to fund the removal of building constraints on these sites. The landbank fund has been very useful in securing sites for new affordable housing, which might otherwise have been lost.

The fund is recyclable. When the housing agency disposes of a site or develops housing using other funding the grant is repaid. A total of £12.5 million has been loaned to date, of which £6.6 million has been repaid.

Councillor Davidson said: "In order to minimise the delays in delivering new affordable housing, we will be entering into discussions with the Scottish Government to agree to forward fund some of the new projects, using the landbank fund."

Earlier, the committee was advised that the Council continues to provide more affordable houses than any other council in Scotland. It is on course to meet its target of providing 2,000 additional affordable houses by 2011.

80% of housing association programmes over the last two years have been delivered through the direct involvement of the Council, recognised as one of the most pro-active in Scotland.

In 2007-8, an investment of £38 million saw work start of 563 houses and a further 350 houses are scheduled to start in this financial year.

Councillor Davidson said: "Our housing development team is doing an outstanding job in working with the Scottish Government and our housing partners in Highland to meet the needs of our Highland communities."

16 May 08
NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL SUSPENDS RIGHT TO BUY
Right to Buy has been suspended in areas of North Ayrshire to prevent serious shortages of affordable housing. Ministers have accepted North Ayrshire Council's request to apply 'pressured area' status to 11 letting areas. This will allow the council to retain homes for rent to people on low incomes in areas facing social housing pressures aggravated by Right to Buy.

Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell said: "North Ayrshire Council requested the suspension of Right to Buy to ease the substantial pressures facing affordable housing in the area. "It is the ninth council to have successfully applied to use the pressured area mechanism and I would ask other councils to consider whether it could be used as a suitable response to particular pressures within their areas. "The Scottish Government wishes to explore ways of achieving greater local flexibility in the operation of the Right to Buy. The pressured area mechanism is only one way of achieving this. We are also committed to introducing legislation to end the right to buy for new build social houses and our recent announcement of a ý25 million incentive package will help to kick start a new generation of council house building in Scotland."

Councillor Tom Barr, executive member for the Environment at North Ayrshire Council, added: "The Council is delighted that the Scottish Government has approved our application for pressured area status. The application is part of our overall Affordable Housing Framework which details our strategic vision for increasing and retaining affordable housing in North Ayrshire.

"The Council is committed to meeting the affordable housing need of local people and to eradicating homelessness. By supporting our application, the Scottish Government has contributed to this vision by allowing us to retain social housing in highly pressured areas."

Tenants within the designated areas will have the Right to Buy their rent council or housing association house suspended for five years:
Castlepark, Girdle Toll & Lawthorn (including Chapeltoun), Harbourside, Irvine East, Woodlands, Largs, Fairlie, Skelmorlie, West Kilbride, Dreghorn and Drybridge.
The suspension of Right to Buy only applies to tenancies which have commenced since September 30, 2002. An estimated 1,237 tenancies in North Ayrshire are affected.
Pressured area designations have now been approved in the following local authority areas:
* East Renfrewshire (Eastwood area) on October 7, 2005
* Highland (all areas excluding Caithness, Sutherland and some estates in Inverness and Fort William) on November 15, 2005
* South Ayrshire (29 letting areas comprising much of Prestwick and Ayr, and rural settlements) on February 10 2006
* Moray (Elgin, Lossiemouth and Forres rural) on March 7, 2006
* Fife (St Andrews and the East Neuk) on May 8, 2006 and (13 west Fife villages) on January 15, 2007
* Dumfries and Galloway (69 villages of population less than 400 across the local authority area) on June 5, 2006
* Perth and Kinross (21 letting areas across Highland Perthshire and in the rural areas around Perth) on February 2, 2007
* Aberdeen (35 letting areas across the city) on September 5, 2007
Right to Buy changed significantly when the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 reduced and capped discount levels, extended the qualifying period to five years and introduced the pressured area mechanism.

27 March 08
House Building In Highland 2007
In 2007 1,807 new houses were completed; a 7% increase on 2006 figures and a new high for Highland. This is a significant contribution to achieving The Highland Council Administration’s priority of working with Scottish Government, local partners and the private sector to enable 6,000 new houses to be built over the next 4 years.
In 2007 house completions in Caithness by ward were -
Thurso 55, Wick 39, Landward Caithness 80.

26 March 08
Affordable Housing Consultation Reminder
Communities are being reminded of an ongoing consultation on proposed changes to The Highland the Council's supplementary planning guidance on Affordable Housing. This policy is currently used to ensure that proposals for housing development deliver at least a proportion (currently 25%) as affordable housing. There have been a number of changes to the definitions and means of delivery of affordable housing since the guidance was produced in 2002, so it is an opportune time for review. A number of options for change are set out within the document, and everyone with an interest in affordable housing is asked to contribute to the debate.

The outcomes of the consultation will be considered by the Council's Planning Environment and Development Committee as soon as possible after 28 April - the closing date for responses. Copies of the document are available at Council Service Points and on the web-site at www.highland.gov.uk under the section entitled "Consultation". The consultation period has been running from 3 March.

Councillor Drew Hendry, the Chairman of the Council's Planning Environment and Development Committee, said: "We all have a role to play in ensuring that the amount of affordable housing is increased, and this is an opportunity to contribute to the debate about how we actually do it."

Responses to the consultation can be made in the following ways:
~ by e-mail to: devplans@highland.gov.uk or
~ by post to: Director of Planning & Development, The Highland Council, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX

3 March 08
Q&A: Mortgage squeeze tightening

2 February 08
New Highland Housing Register Means Applicants Must Re-Register
The six main providers of rented accommodation in the Highlands have joined forces to make it easier for applicants on housing waiting lists to access housing. The Highland Council together with the five housing associations operating in the Highlands - Albyn; Cairn; Lochaber; Lochalsh & Skye; and Pentland - have produced a single housing register and this week 15,000 applicants on the waiting lists of the agencies will be sent a new housing application form to complete.
The new application form means people who want to be housed by the Council or any of the housing associations with housing in the Highlands will only have to fill in a single form. Previously applicants had to complete separate Housing Application Forms for each landlord.
However anyone who is on a housing list with any of the landlords just now will have to fill in a new form.
Councillor Margaret Davidson, Chair of the Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee said: “The Highland Housing Register is a really exciting initiative that will make it easier for people to apply for housing in the future. It is very important that people remember to complete the forms when they receive them – even if they have already provided information in a different application quite recently. We will only be able to include people on the new Highland Housing Register if they complete a form.”
If any applicants have any queries regarding the new form, they can contact any of the partners for further information.

23 January 08
New Era for Scottish housing
 
A major expansion of a scheme to help more first time buyers get into the housing market has been announced.

The shared equity scheme is part of LIFT - Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers - a new Government package to help people who aspire to own their home.

Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell said 2008 marked the beginning of a new era for housing in Scotland in which councils, house builders, and housing associations have a vital role in delivering change.

Speaking at the Building Homes For Scotland event in Edinburgh, Mr Maxwell outlined the Scottish Government's vision of a housing system that delivers good quality, energy efficient, affordable housing across all tenures.

He spoke of the Government's progress since publication of the Firm Foundations consultation paper in October 2007 and the positive work that is underway through the Housing Supply Task Force.

The consultation ends on Friday and delegates were encouraged to respond to proposals which include:

• Challenging Scotland's local authorities, developers and builders to increase the rate of new housing supply in Scotland to at least 35,000 a year by the middle of the next decade

• Increasing the role of local authorities as landlords by offering financial incentives to councils that have the capacity to fund new council housing

• Ending the Right to Buy on new social housing built by councils and housing associations

• Establishing a Scottish Sustainable Communities Initiative to encourage local authorities and their partners to bring forward proposals for sustainable new settlements to meet demand in particular areas

Mr Maxwell said: "We are about to embark upon a new era for housing in Scotland - an era that will see the creation of a housing system that finally meets the needs of our communities.

"When Nicola Sturgeon launched the Government's ambitious proposals for the future of Scotland's housing in October with Firm Foundations, it was clear action was needed to rectify a housing system that was failing.

"Three months on and we have already taken significant steps towards delivering this vision, but this Government does not underestimate the scale of the challenge.

"Scotland can and should have the prosperous sustainable future it deserves and meeting the housing aspirations of our population is an essential step towards that goal.

"The time to bring change is now and we must seize the opportunity to do so."

10 November 07
Latheron, Lybster and Clyth Community Council launched
Lybster Housing Option Study
It was identified approximately 12 - 18 months ago by people living in and around Lybster, that there was a need for housing in the area. Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust (HSCHT) have been carrying out initial ground works on our behalf, but now it's the turn of local residents to assist.

We are looking for people in the area to get in touch with HSCHT to help firm up ideas for any potential development. Initial discussions with housing funding bodies have indicated there may well be money available for development plans.

We are asking residents to complete a single A4 page questionnaire to indicate if they have an interest in housing. This may be

• affordable housing

• shared equity housing

• low cost serviced plots -
  (these are dependant on demand and interest)

Questionnaires have been distributed to those who have previously indicated an interest. But, forms are also available from Lybster Post Office (thanks to Gail for allowing this!)

The ball is in your court - if you feel this would be beneficial to the village, get a form and send it back... if there is no interest this will simply fall on it's head - the end!

The Community Council have done all they can at the moment - your help to take a possible scheme forward is VITAL.

For further information contact any community council member.

10 November 07
Reviewing Planning Policy to Accelerate Provision of Affordable Housing
The Highland Council's Planning Environment and Development Committee is to review planning guidance to ensure the Council Administration meets its commitment to deliver 2,000 additional affordable homes over the next four years.

The review will cover topics such as the mechanisms for the delivery of affordable housing, levels of contribution sought, affordable housing thresholds and the issues involved in increasing the supply of land for well sited and designed affordable housing across the Highlands.

A half-day seminar for members on affordable housing is to be held on Monday 26 November which will inform and set out the context for the review of the guidance and the outcomes and further work being undertaken by planning and housing and property officials will be presented to the Planning Environment and Development Committee on 23 January, next year with recommendations on any policy changes required, as well as arrangements for public consultation.

The timetable will allow the Council to respond to a discussion document by the Scottish Government called ~Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland~, which sets out a number of issues for the future delivery of affordable housing in Scotland.

Over the past five years, the affordable housing planning policy in the Highland Structure Plan and individual Local Plans has helped deliver 1,200 affordable houses. Affordable housing is also delivered directly by local housing associations or through organisations such as the Highland Housing Alliance.

Councillor Drew Hendry, Chairman of the Planning Environment and Development Committee, wants to see the rate of affordable housing accelerated.

He said: "The Planning and Development Service has a key role in delivering the Council's commitment for affordable housing provision. Given the need to ensure the smooth and timely delivery of affordable housing, there is an opportunity to review our current approaches to delivery. This will be taken forward by work being carried out over the course of the next couple of months."

28 July 07
Interim Housing Director Appointed By Highland Council
David Goldie, Head of Housing, The Highland Council, has been appointed Interim Director of Housing and Property.
Mr Goldie will head up the new service, which combines the former Housing Service and Property and Architectural Services, until a permanent appointment is made.
A report on permanent recruitment arrangements will go to The Highland Council on Thursday 6 September.
Meanwhile, the Council has appointed Ashley Gould, to the new post of Head of Procurement. Mr Gould is currently the Council's procurement manager.
Reporting to the Director of Finance, Mr Gould will take overall responsibility for all procurement activity within the Council and will lead a procurement team, which aims to ensure optimised efficiency and effectiveness in the Council's annual £180 million-plus procurement programme.
His team will work closely with partner agencies to identify cash-saving initiatives and develop a five-year strategic procurement strategy to ensure the Council gets best value out of its procurement activities.
Mr Gould joined The Highland Council in June 2002 as Procurement Manager. Prior to this he worked for Northern Constabulary as their Procurement Manager and with the Benefits Agency and Ministry of Defence in other procurement roles.
Mr Gould is the current Chairman of the Scottish Local Government Procurement Forum and also represents the procurement community on the Scotland Excel Steering Group.

13 March 07
NORTH MSP HAILS AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES AND FUNDING FOR THE HIGHLANDS
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Maureen Macmillan has welcomed the announcement by Communities Minister Rhona Brankin of the extension of the open market Homestake shared-equity scheme to the Highland Council area. The Minister also announced £36.3 million of spending for affordable housing in the Highlands over the next year.

Mrs Macmillan said, "The lack of affordable housing has been a problem in many parts of the Highlands over the years, with employers often unable to retain staff due to the shortage of reasonably priced accommodation. The popularity of the Highlands as a place to live and the continual rise in house prices are also aggravating the situation so the announcement by Rhona Brankin is excellent news.

Communities Scotland has been running a pilot programme for the open market Homestake shared-equity scheme in the central belt of Scotland. This scheme has been used, but not exclusively, by first time buyers who have been supported by a housing association to buy a property on the open market. More than £20 million has been invested in the scheme this year. The extension of the scheme will be yet another initiative to tackle the affordable housing problem in the Highlands. Already, we have successful Homestake shared-equity schemes in the Highlands i.e. Inverness and Caithness.

The Communities Minister also announced £36.3 million for affordable housing in the Highlands over the next year. This significant investment will mean that around 500 new homes can be built for rent or low-cost ownership across the Highlands."

Mrs Macmillan added, "Affordable housing initiatives are planned for Skye & Lochalsh, Badenoch and Strathspey, Lochaber, Caithness, Sutherland, Ross-shire and Inverness.

These developments will help alleviate the affordable housing shortage across the Highlands and shows the commitment of communities Scotland and the Executive to effectively address the situation"

29 January 07
Record Number Of New Homes Built In 2006
138 New Homes Completed In Caithness In 2006
A report published by The Highland Council shows that a record number of new homes were built in the Highlands with 1,688 new houses completed - a rise of 26% compared with the 2005 figure of 1,344.

This steep rise follows the steady increases seen in previous years. The largest increases in housing development between 2005 and 2006 were in Badenoch and Strathspey, Inverness, Lochaber and Caithness.

In 2006, 278 new affordable homes were built across the Highlands representing 17% of all housing completions last year.

Councillor Sandy Park, Chairman of The Highland Council's Planning, Development, Europe and Tourism Committee, said: "The Highlands are thriving and our population is continuing to grow so I am delighted to see that the number of new homes being built has continued to rise in 2006. As always we will not be complacent and will keep working with developers and local communities to ensure that people have a choice of quality homes at a range of prices they can afford."

John Rennilson, the Council's Director of Planning and Development Services, added: "Nearly 300 affordable homes were built in 2006. The provision of affordable housing is a key priority for The Council and the planning process has a pivotal role to play along with our partners in the Housing Service, Highland Housing Alliance, Communities Scotland and its Housing Associations and others."