(c) lochaberhousing.org.uk
I wrote this on July 9th:
With a 29% increase on last year, new affordable home-building is at its highest level since the 1980s when Maggie Thatcher had yet to do her worst and Tony Blair was just a bad dream.
The Scottish Government is investing more than £1.75 billion over the next three years with funds provided to local authorities to enable delivery of the target of 50 000 by 2021.
The construction work should also add a further 14 000 new jobs each year.
The funding for the local authorities announced in advance to enable smooth planning is
2018-19 £532 million
2019-20 £591 million
2020-21 £630 million
This £1.75 billion takes the total for this parliament to £3 billion for affordable housing. This is, no surprise, twice the per capita level of the English Government’s building despite the latter’s faster growing population.
I’m assuming the 200 homes for the Upper Achintore site in Fort William are being funded by the same scheme. The Chair of The Highland Council’s Places Committee said:
‘This is good news for Lochaber where there has been a shortage of affordable housing. The development is especially welcome given the regeneration of the Fort William Smelter and the new job opportunities coming to the area. It comes on top of the recent welcome Scottish Government investment which has enabled the Council and their partners to deliver new affordable homes in Tweeddale Apartments, Raasay Court and Belhaven Drive.’
You’ll find more detail on the smelter at:
‘Lochaber once more’: £450 million deal for the Highlands
https://news.gov.scot/news/gbp-1-2m-for-affordable-housing-in-fort-william
Talking-up Scotland 