The Highland Council Strategic Housing Investment Plan priorities

5th November 2025


#
05 November 2025

The Highland Council Strategic Housing Investment Plan priorities

‘The Highland Council's plan to accelerate Affordable Housing Programme with increased Investment and strategic planning that aligns with the priorities set out in the Highland Housing Challenge'.

At today’s meeting of the Housing and Property Committee (Wednesday 5 November 2025), Members welcomed an increase in Scottish Government funding for affordable housing. The allocation of £47.588 million for the Highlands represents an uplift from the previous year’s £35.780 million, enabling both the completion of committed projects and the launch of new developments.

Chair of the Housing & Property Committee, Cllr Glynis Campbell Sinclair, said:
"The scale of housing need in Highland is rising. Our Strategic Housing Investment Plan sets out a clear and ambitious roadmap to deliver the homes our communities need, both now and in the future. The Council is committed to continuing to collaborate with partners and investors to unlock land, finance, and capacity to increase the availability of affordable housing across Highland.

"Despite the progress to date, the programme continues to face delivery challenges, including land availability, infrastructure constraints, developer timing, statutory approvals, and construction cost inflation, particularly in rural areas. The Council is actively working with partners, including the Scottish National Investment Bank, to explore alternative funding models and overcome these barriers."

Forecasts for 2025/26 include:

545 affordable housing completions
570 new property starts
As part of the Highland Housing Challenge, the Council is implementing targeted actions to address constraints, including:

Identifying new development sites through the Local Development Plan review.
Supporting key worker housing with additional Scottish Government funding.
Collaborating with SSEN and developers on legacy housing projects.
Enhancing planning coordination through the Integrated Planning Delivery Service.
Looking ahead, the SHIP for 2026/27-2030/31 sets out a commitment to approve at least 700 new affordable homes annually, with 70% for affordable rent and 30% for intermediate housing such as low-cost home ownership and mid-market rent. The plan is aligned with the Council’s Local Housing Strategy, Operational Delivery Plan, and Our Future Highland Delivery Plan.

The Highland Council will continue to engage with local Members and communities to ensure investment plans reflect local priorities. The SHIP is updated annually and submitted to the Scottish Government, with a full review planned for the 2027-2031 period to incorporate new data, funding models, and strategic commitments.

Highland Housing Need & Demand Survey - Residents have a few more days to complete the survey, which will allow the Council to better understand the housing circumstances and needs of local households. The results will help the Council plan for new housing and housing services, making sure the needs of all residents and communities are met. You can complete the short survey online using the following link - The online survey is open until Friday 7 November 2025, and can be found at www.researchresource.co.uk/AJHighlandHNDA.html

For more information on the Strategic Housing Investment Plan, read the full report https://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/5247/housing_and_property_committee (Item 9).

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

15/5/2026 : Local Authority

 
Inverness - Highland Bid Director for UK City of Culture appointed

Highly respected cultural leader and strategist Bryan Beattie has been appointed by The Highland Council as Bid Director of the Inverness - Highland bid for UK City of Culture 2029.   He was recently creative director for the Inverness Castle Experience and interim Chief Executive at Eden Court, and a former Chair of Fèis Rois and Scottish Youth Theatre.  

Today : Local Authority

 
Highland Council enhances delivery on the Highland Housing Challenge

The Highland Council will meet on Thursday, 14 May and on the agenda for discussion is a report on the Highland Housing Challenge.   The Highland Housing Challenge was declared in June 2024, with a target of 24,000 new homes by 2034.  

Yesterday : Local Authority

 
Glen Earrach Energy signs Social Value Charter, pledging Scotland's largest Community Wealth Fund

A pumped storage hydro project proposed near Loch Ness has committed to allocating 5 per cent of its annual gross margin to a Community Wealth Fund estimated to deliver over £20 million a year.   Glen Earrach Energy (GEE) has become the second company to sign the Highland Social Value Charter, marking a significant milestone in delivering long-term socio-economic benefits for communities across the Highlands.  

12/5/2026 : Local Authority

 
Views sought on proposals to introduce Short Term Let Control Areas in Highland

A public consultation opens today on proposals to introduce Short Term Let Control Areas (STLCA) in Highland with the aim of striking a better balance between tourism growth and local housing need.   The Highland Council is seeking views from residents, communities, businesses and the tourism sector on proposals to introduce two STLCAs: Inverness City STLCA, which would cover the wards of Inverness West; Inverness Central; Inverness Ness-side; Inverness Millburn; and parts of Inverness South, including Westhill, Milton of Leys and Slackbuie, and; Highland Rural STLCA, which would cover the wards of Lochaber; Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh; Sutherland; Skye and Raasay; Aird and Loch Ness; and parts of Inverness South, including Tomatin and Daviot.  

10/5/2026 : Local Authority

Highland Council's Ambitious Capital Spending Plans Face Delays Due To Scottish Government Deficit Realities

The financial pressures facing both the Scottish Government and councils could create major risks for ambitious long-term capital programmes such as The Highland Council’s Highland Investment Plan (HIP), including the proposed £100 million redevelopment of Thurso High School into a major community campus.  However, the picture is complicated because projects like Thurso are also politically and economically important for the region.  

6/5/2026 : Local Authority

 
Highland Council’s Debt Crunch: Rising Borrowing Costs Put 20‑Year Capital Plans Under Pressure

Highland Council is heading into a tougher financial climate than at any point since the financial crash and the pressure is coming from a direction that residents rarely see: the cost of government borrowing.   Following the UK’s latest rise in borrowing costs, the price councils pay for long‑term loans has increased again.  

5/5/2026 : Local Authority

Will Governments Override Local Councils to Build Wind Farms and Battery Storage? A Look at the UK’s Energy Shift

As the energy crisis continues to reshape policy across the UK, a key question keeps coming up.  Will national governments override local councils that refuse planning permission for renewable energy projects like wind farms and battery storage sites? The short answer is this is already happening and it’s likely to increase.  

29/4/2026 : Local Authority

Caithness Committee sets garage rates for year ahead

Garage rents in Caithness are set to increase by 10% for garage rent 2026/27 and 15% for garage sites, as agreed at the recent Caithness Area Committee (Monday 27 April).   There are currently 492 garages and garage sites across Caithness, 126 of which are currently void.  

28/4/2026 : Local Authority

Short Term Let Control Area In Badenoch and Strathspey Has Slowed More Properties Joining - See Highland Wide Tougher Rules

Early indications suggest that the introduction of a Short Term Let Control Area (STLCA) for Badenoch and Strathspey has slowed the growth of secondary short-term lets across the area.   The STLCA for Ward 20, which covers Aviemore, Carrbridge, Boat of Garten, Dalwhinnie Grantown-on-Spey, Kingussie, and Newtonmore, has been in place for two years and was one of the first to be designated in Scotland.  

24/4/2026 : Local Authority

 
Highland Council signs Memorandum of Understanding with Ukrainian region

The Highland Council has confirmed the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State (Military) Administration in Ukraine.   The MoU acknowledges bonds of friendship and common aims to promote knowledge transfer, educational and trade exchanges, and encourage investment opportunities between the two regions.