Hjatland Housing Association to Deliver 300 Homes with £20m
As finances continue roll out from the Scottish government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, Hjatland Housing Association were recently awarded £20m to build 300 homes across Shetland.
The first project will begin in late 2023 in Lerwick and roll ot from there into 2024 and beyond. The social landlord announced that 70% of the stock will be available for social rent and 10% of the homes have been designated to the remote and rural parts of the island.
Looking more widely, there are intense targets for Scotland to build 110,000 affordable homes by 2032. This comes as part of the Bute House Agreement designed in 2021 between the SNP and Scottish Greens.
Housing Minister Commits Funding for Rural Scotland
During a recent visit to the Highlands and Islands, Housing Minister Paul McLennan announced plans to improve affordability across Scotland. He stated: “This is a significant investment in affordable housing supply in Lerwick. It will make a huge contribution to the housing challenges being felt by Shetland, with particular pressures on Lerwick itself.”
Recognising the challenges and barriers facing our rural communities, we will continue to support these areas and face those challenges head on
Adding to this, Bryan Leask, Chief Executive of Hjaltland, said that accessing the funding was “essential, due to the constraints on the site”, and said the landlord “greatly appreciates the commitment from the Scottish government in supporting us”.
“This project supplements the existing housing schemes we are currently developing through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme at Scalloway, Aith, Brae and Walls and reaffirms both ours and the Scottish government’s commitment to the communities of Shetland,” he said.
Local Communities will see more social value benefits
Ensuring local communities and more rural parts of Scotland are recognised as an area of concern for the development of new affordable houses highlights the pragmatic approach Scotland is taking to the housebuilding targets.
Ensuring that rural communities feel represented and have their concerns rectified through new funding avenues will help Scotland meet its housebuilding target and also build the social value implications of housebuilding.
