The number of affordable homes approved over the year to the end June 2017 has increased by 30% on the previous year, bringing the total number of approvals over the year to 10,612. The government says the figures show good progress but the Scottish Greens will put forward their own plans to improve housing stock in a Holyrood debate later today. Continue reading Affordable homes boost but Greens offer radical alternative
More than £1.75 billion is being allocated to councils in a major Scottish Government commitment to stimulate investment in affordable housing. The announcement comes as figures published today show the highest levels of activity in the affordable house-building sector in Scotland since the early 1980s. Continue reading £1.75 billion boost for social housing
Over £590 million will be made available for 2017/18 to increase the supply of affordable homes in Scotland, Angela Constance has announced. The Scottish Greens have welcomed the announcement but say that more must be done to bring empty homes back into use. Continue reading Increased funding for affordable housing
Continue reading Port of Leith to build a further 850 new affordable homes
Not good enough, say Greens: ‘wider crisis cannot be ignored’
The Scottish Government has exceeded its 30,000 affordable homes target by more than 10 %, according to official statistics released yesterday. Continue reading Affordable homes target beaten by 10%
Anything you can do: Housing Associations will match council home for home
Edinburgh is set for a major housing boost after the Council’s ambitious plan to build thousands of new homes was matched by partner housing associations.
Six Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) have pledged to match the City of Edinburgh Council’s plan to build 8,000 homes, which will bring 16,000 affordable and low cost homes to the city over the next decade. Representatives joined senior Council officials at the City Chambers today to officially back their commitment to the partnership.
The housing associations, which are not-for-profit, are Castle Rock Edinvar, Dunedin Canmore, Hillcrest, Home Group, the Link Group, and Port of Leith. They met Council Leader Councillor Andrew Burns, Depute Leader Sandy Howat, Chief Executive Andrew Kerr, Health, Social Care and Housing Convener Councillor Ricky Henderson and Housing Leader, Councillor Cammy Day.
Alister Steele, from Castle Rock Edinvar, said: “Housing associations operating in Edinburgh are pleased to match the Council’s pledge and commit to delivering 8,000 much needed affordable homes in Edinburgh. As part of Places for People, Castle Rock Edinvar is already committed to developing 1,000 New Homes for Edinburgh. Extending our contribution in collaboration with fellow housing associations and the City of Edinburgh Council allows us all to make a significant contribution to the housing supply, wellbeing and economic growth in the city.”
Ewan Fraser, Chief Executive of Dunedin Canmore, which is part of Scotland’s largest housing care and property management organisation, Wheatley Group, said: “We are absolutely determined to play our part, working with the City Council and other housing associations, in tackling the acute shortage of affordable housing in Edinburgh.
“The plans unveiled today represent an outstanding example of partnership working and we are delighted to announce that, as part of our commitment to maintaining and improving communities across the city, we will build at least 1,000 good-quality, energy-efficient homes in the capital over the next decade.”
Councillor Day said: “We all know about the acute shortage of affordable homes in the capital; a shortage that’s pushing house prices out of the reach of those on low to middle incomes, increasing rents in the private sector and creating a cost of living crisis that’s putting real pressure on people across Edinburgh. This fantastic joint commitment will see the Council and its partners build on their current successes and accelerate house building to provide the increase in affordable homes that Edinburgh so desperately needs.
“This joint commitment won’t just deliver 16,000 homes – we expect it to generate benefits to the local and national economy of around £4bn, create over 3,000 jobs and bring in additional council tax revenue to help fund the delivery of essential services for the people of Edinburgh. Reducing the cost of living for tenants and building more affordable homes are key priorities for the Council.”
Almost 150 households bid for every Council and housing association home available to let in Edinburgh, and the city’s population is set to grow by up to 30% over the next twenty years.
The Council was already committed to delivering 3,000 affordable and low cost homes on 22 sites in the city, including investing over £100 million on lending to nine Limited Liability Partnerships set up through the Government’s National Housing Trust (NHT) initiative.
Goal-den opportunity for househunters
Port of Leith Housing Association and its subsidiary company Persevere Developments Limited’s latest development was officially opened by Malcolm Chisholm MSP yesterday. Continue reading Home win: Albion Road development launched
Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA), which celebrated its 40th anniversary this month, has appointed two new Board Members and a Vice Chair.
Arun Gopinath is a Managing Consultant with Zackra Consulting Services and also serves as the Manager of Central Scotland Regional Equality Council. Prior to this he has been involved with Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council, Scottish Alliance of Regional Equality Councils and RCMS Group, an international architectural and engineering consulting company.
Leith resident Vicky Hope runs her own marketing consultancy. She is a law graduate, but moved into marketing where she has gained a wide experience in communications, project management and branding.
Ruth McNeil, a Board Member since 2008, takes up the post of Vice Chair. A former manager in a unit caring for the elderly, she is also a PoLHA tenant.
Current Chair, Margaret O’Connor, has been re-elected. She joined the board at PoLHA in 2010 and was elected as Vice Chair in 2011 before being elected Chair last year.
Keith Anderson, PoLHA Chief Executive said: “We are committed to providing high quality, energy efficient homes for people in Leith and North Edinburgh. Our staff and Board Members play a key role in delivering our aims and objects and I’m delighted to welcome Arun and Vicky to PoLHA, and having Margaret and Ruth as Chair and Vice Chair respectively.”
Housing Convener Councillor Cammy Day opened the city’s newest affordable housing development at Shortbread Court in Granton earlier today.
The £2.9m construction of 27 homes used £767,000 funding from the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, which is managed by the City of Edinburgh Council on behalf of the Scottish Government.
Built by Queensberry Properties Ltd (Cruden Homes East Scotland), the properties consist of one-and two-bedroom flats and meet Link design standards for affordable housing.
Each home has gas central heating and hot water systems, high thermal insulation and double glazing to create warm, comfortable and energy-efficient homes that will be easy and economical to run.
Councillor Day said: “We were delighted to work with our housing partners to deliver this development of desirable, energy efficient homes in a regenerated area of the city, which hard working people can afford to live in. Joining forces with organisations such as Link is allowing the Council to build record numbers of much-needed affordable housing.”
Link Group Chairman, Roy Stirrat, said: “We are delighted to have been supported by the Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh Council to enable us to continue to provide new, high quality homes at rents affordable to people on low or limited fixed incomes. Since 2013, Link has built 138 new homes for social and intermediate rent in Edinburgh which have played a part in tackling the Capital’s shortage of affordable homes.”
Housing Minister hails nearly 100 new homes for rent in Leith
Nearly 100 new affordable homes are to be built at Western Harbour in Leith through the ground-breaking National Housing Trust initiative (NHT), the Housing Minister has revealed.
Margaret Burgess made the announcement during a visit to Scotland’s largest NHT development in Edinburgh this morning.
The recently completed 145 home development at Salamander Place marks the completion of all 422 homes built under the first round of NHT procurement in the Capital.
Mrs Burgess said: “I am delighted to announce the latest deal under the National Housing Trust initiative, which will deliver 94 brand new and affordable homes to rent in Edinburgh.
“Developments such as the one planned for Western Harbour, and the new 145 home development at Salamander Place, not only provide a boost for our construction sector and wider economy, but also offer people and families the chance to rent a new home at affordable rates.
“I have met NHT tenants all over Scotland and have heard how delighted they are with their new, high quality homes.
“NHT continues to go from strength to strength. The initiative is on track to deliver over 2,000 much needed new homes in communities across the country – all for very little taxpayers’ money.
“Despite Westminster’s cuts to our capital budget the Scottish Government is doing everything possible to stimulate growth, maximise our investment in housing and deliver on our target of 30,000 new, affordable homes over the lifetime of this Parliament.”
The original NHT model allows developers and councils to jointly fund the purchase of new homes, with local authority loans to the initiative being underwritten by the Scottish Government.
Under the original NHT model, homes are available for rent at below market rates for five to 10 years before being sold, with tenants being given priority to buy at the end of the rental period.
Councillor Cammy Day, Housing Leader for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This new development at Salamander Place is an excellent example of how the Council is supporting housing developers to turn derelict sites into modern new build homes for rent at affordable prices. The Council provided over £15m in loan funding for these homes and is committed to securing more developments like this.”
Stuart Paterson, Chief Financial Officer of Forth Ports Limited, on whose land the new NHT development at Western Harbour would be located, said: “We are pleased to be partnering with the City of Edinburgh Council, the Scottish Futures Trust and the Scottish Government in this NHT initiative at Western Harbour.
“Whilst we are a port operator first and foremost, when this was brought to us by Rettie & Co, who helped co-ordinate the deal, we saw an opportunity to help towards the regeneration of the community by providing more housing in the Leith area. Other areas around the Port of Leith, including Britannia Quay, are and will remain operational land.”
Angela Linton, Chief Executive of Hillcrest Group, the Housing Association that manages the Salamander Place development, said: “The NHT model allows us to market a different tenure of housing to the traditional affordable properties offered by Hillcrest Housing Association.
“Through Northern Housing Company, part of the Hillcrest Group, we have delivered mid-market rent properties, making a much needed injection of housing at this level.
“Many people find themselves not qualifying for affordable housing but at the same time not being able to afford the private market, so we are grateful for the Scottish Government support which helps us to deliver this project at Salamander Place.”
Christa Reekie, Commercial Director at the Scottish Futures Trust, said: “SFT’s work in developing and managing the innovative NHT programme is helping to deliver affordable rented housing in areas where there is a shortage.
“The City of Edinburgh Council has fully embraced the NHT initiative and so far has over 420 NHT homes across five sites in the City, with the construction of an additional 94 homes starting soon. The Salamander Place site is the largest across the whole of Scotland and reflects the huge positive impact the NHT programme is having on people’s lives.”
