Tenants start the New Year in first council houses to be built in the Highlands for 15 years

11th January 2011

The first council houses to be built in the Highlands since1996 are now completed and tenants have moved in to start the New Year in their new homes.

As part of a £12.8m project supported by grant funding from the Scottish Government, the 9 houses in Tain and the 13 in Invergordon are the first of 107 mainstream homes that will be built by The Highland Council across the Highlands over the coming year.

The houses in Tain and Invergordon have been built by Tullochs and are designed to be energy efficient, exceeding the current energy ratings set by Building Standards. They have all been rented to tenants who are either transfer applicants or from the Highland Housing Register. Ownership and management of the properties will remain in council hands.

The Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Chairman, Councillor Margaret Davidson went to "first foot" Nicola McGinnis, Simon Stokes and their 2 children earlier today (Tuesday 11 January 2011) to welcome them to their new home at Fleming Way in Invergordon.

Councillor Davidson said: "This is a very proud day for The Highland Council and the local community as we've been waiting for this moment for many years. It is a privilege to be in a position to see new, much needed affordable housing built, particularly given that it has been such a long time since we, as a Council, have been able to build new homes. Additional houses like these can really regenerate and strengthen local communities."

"The scale of this building programme will really make a difference. Without the support of the Scottish Government grant fund we would not be able to undertake the building work. In developing these houses we have been able to make use of the Council's Landbank Fund which is a fund designed to enable devlopment of new affordable homes. I'm sure that everyone who is waiting for an affordable rented home will be as excited as I am at the prospect of the other 85 homes becoming available over the coming year."

Minister for Housing and Communities Alex Neil said: "This is a significant day for the Highlands. After 15 years, a new generation of council houses are once again being built across the region.

"As the UK Government's savage cuts put a squeeze on public funding, I am pleased to see that Highland Council has been innovative by using their powers over the council tax levels on second homes to help fund the delivery of these quality, affordable rented homes.

"This, and the other council house projects in the pipeline, is helping the local construction sector by safeguarding jobs and providing new employment opportunities.

"Across Scotland, the Scottish Government has allocated almost £80 million to help local authorities kick-start council house building projects, supporting over 3000 new homes and around 2000 jobs in construction and housing related trades."

Fleming Way is part of a new multi-tenure development of affordable rent, low cost ownership and self build plots.

Susan Torrance, Chief Executive of the Highland Housing Alliance said: "The new Council Houses in Fleming Way form part of a larger mixed development on part of the former Golf Course in Invergordon. We were able to purchase the original site with finance from The Highland Council Land Bank fund in 2007 and since then we have put in the roads and services for private self build plots, affordable housing through Albyn Housing Society and a future phase of private houses for sale. This example of mixed development and partnership working sets the standard for building houses for communities throughout the Highlands and Scotland."

On site work is already underway for the next phase of the programme which will see the completion of 10 properties at Sellar Place in Conon Bridge and 28 at Assynt Road in Inverness while work is scheduled to begin on site by the end of February for a further 10 homes in Invergordon, 8 in Strathpeffer, 6 in Portree, 3 in Inverlochy, 12 in Caol and 8 in Nairn.