Funding to Amplify Availability of Affordable Housing in Scotland

Argyll and Bute Council has agreed new funding aiming to boost the availability of affordable housing. How does the funding reflect Scotland’s commitment to tackling the housing crisis?

Councillors have approved a grant of £26,350 to Dunbritton Housing Association from the Strategic Housing Fund to enable the development of 12 affordable houses in Helensburgh.

In addition, the Scottish Government has offered funding to the housing association’s private contribution. Argyll and Bute Council will meet the remaining funding gap to deliver the project.

Planning permission is already in place to build the homes on East King Street, in the centre of Helensburgh.

The new funding will help highlight the areas with a lack of housing choice

Helensburgh has been highlighted as a priority settlement for housing due to its high levels of need and demand by Argyll and Bute Council. This has been outlined in its Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP).

Councillor Robin Currie, Leader of Argyll and Bute Council, highlighted that discovering the areas that need focus the most is essential to tackling the housing crisis.

The Councillor said: “Delivering new homes is a key priority for the Council as we confirmed recently in declaring a housing emergency and highlighting the rise of homelessness post-pandemic and the increasing lack of housing choice across Argyll and Bute.”

This new support from the Strategic Housing Fund will be warmly welcomed in Helensburgh and is further evidence of our commitment to tackling the housing issue in the region.

Affordable housing will be boosted in Colonsay

Councillor Currie added that housing is a crucial priority for the council: “There is an increasing lack of housing choice across Argyll and Bute that will have a long-term impact on the local economy.”

Providing support via the Strategic Housing Fund to enhance the availability of homes on Colonsay is further evidence of our commitment to tackling the housing issue in the region.

On Colonsay, councillors have approved a loan of £445,000 through the Strategic Housing Fund to Colonsay Community Development Company (CCDC). This is to progress an affordable housing development at Scalasaig.

The CCDC is delivering the development in partnership with Communities Housing Scotland and will see nine affordable homes plus three self-build plots.

It includes four rented properties, two home ownership properties, and three rented properties for the exclusive use of MOWI.

MOWI has contributed to the capital costs of the projects to enable the company to have exclusive rights to the three properties identified for their staff use.