Scottish Borders Launch Five-year Local Housing Strategy
Scottish Borders Council’s Executive Committee has agreed on a new five-year Local Housing Strategy which aims to address some of the most significant and important housing issues facing them, its partners, and communities.
The strategy sets out the strategic framework for the future development of the local housing system, through which housing providers and partner organisations can operate so that housing needs and demands can be met more effectively with available resources.
Delivering high-quality housing is key to meeting local housing need
Outlined in the new plan is that the Scottish Borders Council will focus on increasing an annual target of 370 new homes, including 141 affordable homes throughout the 2021-28 period.
The Local Housing Strategy’s vision is that everyone in the Scottish Borders will have access to a home that meets their need and is part of a sustainable community, and has been developed jointly with stakeholders.
To deliver this vision successfully, several key priorities have been identified to be addressed. This includes fuel poverty, climate change, house conditions, and homelessness.
It has been revealed by the Scottish Borders Council that the joint and strategic approach of it and its partners to delivering high-quality housing to meet identified local needs is also crucial to meeting the vision.
Collaboration will be imperative to create thriving communities
Councillor Robin Tatler, Executive Member for Communities and Equalities explained that the strategy’s introduction comes at the right time: “This new strategy comes at an important time for housing in the Scottish Borders, and addresses a number of the most significant challenges facing the Council, its partners, and our communities.”
We are increasing the annual target of new housing following the previous five-year plan.
Continuing, the Councillor added that collaboration is key to the strategy’s success: “By working together with partners there are plenty of opportunities to meet the ambitious number of 370 new homes every year.
“I would like to thank residents, landlords and our partners throughout the Borders for playing a significant role in informing the development of the strategy through workshops, online consultations, and resident surveys.”
All Scottish local authorities are required to prepare a Local Housing Strategy every five years, setting out a vision for the supply, quality, and availability of housing in their local area.
In addition, it sets out a range of actions that the Council and partners will take to make sure this vision becomes a reality.
Strategies like this one will be essential in ensuring that local communities get the good-quality housing that they need and be provided with support.
