11th May 2026
Caithness cannot “fix” its housing crisis with the same tools used in the Central Belt. The county needs a rural‑specific, infrastructure first, builder capacity‑led recovery plan not more targets, consultations, or glossy PDFs.
Below is a 10‑point Caithness Housing Recovery Plan but it requires more funding directed at the problems and perhaps the £2 million and other pots of money spent on doing up town centres might have been better spent on housing infrastructure so we do have people to even go into town.
Create serviced plots in every major village
The biggest barrier to new homes in Caithness isn’t land — it’s serviced land.
Scottish Water constraints, ageing sewage systems, and lack of road access stall development before it even begins.
Action:
A Caithness‑wide programme of publicly funded serviced plots
Prioritise Wick, Thurso, Castletown, Lybster, Halkirk, Dunbeath
Sell plots at cost to local families and SME builders
This alone would unlock dozens of new homes a year.
Rebuild local construction capacity
Caithness once had a healthy ecosystem of small builders. Many have retired or closed.
Action:
A “Caithness Builder Revival Fund” offering grants for apprentices, equipment, and training
Fast‑track local apprenticeships through UHI and North Highland College
Guarantee local firms first access to public‑sector housing contracts
No builders = no houses. This is foundational.
A Rural Housing Delivery Team based in Caithness Not Inverness
Planning is slow because decisions are made far from the county.
Action:
A dedicated Caithness planning and housing delivery unit
Officers based in Wick/Thurso, not Inverness
Rural‑specific rules, faster turnaround, and direct liaison with Scottish Water
Local decisions made locally.
A Caithness Self‑Build Programme
Self‑build is the backbone of rural housing — but finance and serviced plots are barriers.
Action:
Pre‑approved house designs suitable for Caithness climate
Partnership with lenders to offer rural self‑build mortgages
Council‑owned serviced plots reserved for local families
This empowers people to build the homes they need.
Targeted investment in ageing housing stock
Caithness has some of the oldest, coldest, least efficient homes in Scotland.
Action:
A Caithness Retrofit Fund for insulation, heating upgrades, and repairs
Grants for older residents to adapt homes and free up larger properties
Incentives for landlords to upgrade long‑term rentals
Upgrading existing homes is faster than building new ones.
Unlock under‑occupied homes
Thousands of bedrooms sit empty — not because people want them, but because there are no downsizing options.
Action:
Build small, energy‑efficient retirement bungalows in every village
Offer “right‑size” incentives for older residents
Support community‑led housing for older people
Freeing up even 5% of under‑occupied homes would transform the market.
A Caithness Social Housing Rebuild
Right to Buy stripped Caithness of its best social housing. Replacement has been slow and expensive.
Action:
Build new social homes on serviced public land
Use modern modular construction to cut costs
Prioritise young families and key workers
This stabilises communities and supports local services.
Bring empty homes back into use
Caithness has a significant number of long‑term empty properties.
Action:
Grants for renovation
Compulsory sale orders for derelict homes
Support for community groups to take on abandoned buildings
Every empty home is a missed opportunity.
A Caithness Infrastructure Guarantee
Housing cannot grow without infrastructure.
Action:
Guarantee water, sewage, and power capacity for priority villages
Invest in digital infrastructure to support remote work
Align housing growth with transport improvements
Infrastructure first, housing second — not the other way around.
A Caithness Housing Accord
The county needs unity, not fragmentation.
Action:
A formal partnership between Highland Council, housing associations, local builders, community groups, and Scottish Water
Annual Caithness Housing Summit
Shared targets, shared delivery, shared accountability
Caithness succeeds when it works together.
In One Sentence
Build serviced plots, rebuild builder capacity, unlock existing homes, and put decisions back in Caithness.
Question
Is it time to break up Highland Council to go back to a more local system when availability of housing was a top priority.