Addressing The Housing Challenge In Highland
27th June 2024
Highland Council has agreed a number of strategic objectives with the aim of finding solutions to a Highland Housing Challenge.
It is anticipated that 24,000 new houses will be required in Highland in the next ten years. This is around double that which would normally be built.
The future demand for housing is based on an updated ten-year Housing Needs Demand Assessment, which incorporates economic modelling based on potential increases in jobs connected to the development of the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Free Port.
Highland Council and its partners are on course to meet the challenge of building 24,000 houses, but over 20 years. To accelerate this will require additional investment of around £2.8 billion.
Some solutions to future housing supply can be addressed through benefits flowing from the Social Value Charter from Renewables and from future retained business rates relating to the Green Free Port.
The Housing Challenge will be explored in a future summit with partners, following which a Housing Challenge Action Plan will be developed. The summit will explore the Council's agreed objectives including levering finance from different means; finding varied mechanisms to build new housing; flexibility regarding the ownership of housing; and finding new ways to maximise the supply of land.
Convener Bill Lobban said: "Affordable housing is an issue that is raised everywhere we speak to communities across the Highlands. For this reason, it is a high priority in the Council's Programme and Members today have declared a Highland Housing Challenge.
"There are also many wider socio-economic benefits in providing more housing, including boosting the construction industry, regeneration of town centres and reversing depopulation of communities. The economic benefits continue over the longer term, through savings on housing benefit, and wider benefits including reduced homelessness, increased employment, and improved health benefits."
Leader of the Council Raymond Bremner said, "I have recently written to the Government to raise the issue of the Council’s Housing Revenue Account historic debt on the basis that other local authorities have had some success in this. Any debt write-off will be essential in freeing up investment which can be directed towards increasing the supply of affordable new build housing to meet the increasing demands of our communities."
Comment
Highland council have tried the past to get debt write off but always unsuccessfully. It would appear that in the light of the financial position UK wide that it will not happen. No harm in trying.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
The Highland Council welcomes confirmation by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government Shona Robison that the Scottish Government will enable The Highland Council to use up to £28m of its funding through the Inverness & Highland City Region Deal to deliver a new electric Corran Ferry. The vessels used on the route are in need of replacement and this funding announcement, alongside the existing investment commitments.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The Highland Council has invested in 6 new winter gritting vehicles to replace some of the ageing fleet. Three vehicles have been delivered, with another 3 to be delivered shortly.
The Highland Council is pleased to announce a new contract has been awarded to Smurfit Westrock, a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging, for the Provision of Mixed Paper & Cardboard Treatment Services with Haulage (from the Highland Council area). The contract which covers a period of up to 6 years will see approximately 11,500 tonnes of mixed paper and card transported from Highland Council Waste Transfer Stations to Smurfit Westrock's Glasgow recycling facility annually.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
On 27 November 2024 the Community and Places committee will consider a report on play parks in Highland. 94 play parks across Highland including 26 in Caithness are scheduled to close over 5 years.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
On Thursday the 21 November 2024, the Education Committee will be presented with an Education Trust Fund report that asks Members to approve the formation of an Education Trust Fund Sub Committee. There are significant funds held by The Highland Council in trust for the educational benefit within different communities.
At the Economy and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday 14 November 2024 councillors adopted an ambitious action plan to tackle biodiversity loss and support a nature-positive Highland. The Council's Ecology Strategy and Action Plan Strategy sets out and defines a series of key actions and activities that will assist the Council to deliver positive action to tackle biodiversity loss and start to address the ecological emergency for the benefit of its environment, economy, and communities.