LAR Housing Trust’s impressive redevelopment of a formerly empty building in Niddrie, Edinburgh, into six two-bedroom flats for people with specialist housing needs has been shortlisted in this year’s Finders International 12th Scottish Empty Homes Awards.
The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership announced that the project, which was by LAR in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, is a finalist for the ‘best retrofit of an empty home’ award.
In its submission, LAR said its development of the building which had been empty for seven years “will make a significant and life-changing impact for its tenants, some of whom have been hospitalised for two decades.”
The awards celebrate the impactful and transformative empty homes work undertaken across Scotland, recent statistics revealed almost 43,000 homes are lying empty and bringing even some of these back into use, can be a cost-effective way to help ease pressure on supply challenges.
Award winners will be announced on Wednesday 1st March 2023 at the 12th Scottish Empty Homes Conference, which will be held at the Engine Shed in Stirling, as well as being streamed online for digital participants.
Shaheena Din, National Project Manager, Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, said: “It has been incredibly difficult for the Advisory Group to choose finalists for this year’s awards as the quality of entries is very high, and we thank all those who took the time to submit nominations.
“The nominations demonstrate how empty homes work often involves creative problem solving and has a real impact on issues related to housing and the strengthening of communities.
“We look forward to showcasing the work of outstanding projects and individuals across the Scottish housing sector at the awards next month. Well done to our finalists and we look forward to announcing the winners in March.”
Public Sector Development Manager for Empty Homes, Muhammad Uddin from Finders International, who are the awards sponsor for the conference, said: “We are really impressed by the calibre of entries and shortlisting the nominations was not an easy task.
“It just demonstrates the level of innovation and initiative in the Scottish empty homes sector and we are proud to be involved in the awards.”
Finalists and winners will be presented with wooden plaques handmade by social enterprise Clydesdale Community Initiatives (CCI) at the conference.
Tickets for the 12th Scottish Empty Homes Conference are available via Eventbrite:
Finders International are the gold sponsor of the conference, with Auction House Scotland, Fraser & Fraser and Brodies LLP as silver sponsors, and Online Property Auctions as bronze sponsor.
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