Developers to play a full part in the delivery of Affordable Housing

A number of measures are to be taken to increase the supply of land for affordable housing, including:

Local authority compulsory purchase;

Local authority land & buildings to be available at less than full market value;

Increasing Council Tax rates on second homes from 50% to 90% and ring-fencing the revenue for affordable housing;

Identification of plots for self-build developments.

P&K Housing & Health Convener Gordon Hunter welcomed the new policy, saying: “The provision of affordable housing remains an ever-present challenge. Perth & Kinross is a very popular place to live and, alongside ever-increasing demands due to an aging population, this issue sets some real challenges for public services in the area.

“We have some excellent partners in the local reguistered housing associations who are willing to work closely with the council and Communities Scotland. However, land availability and valuation, alongside sewage and water restraints are just some of the points which can stifle our efforts.”

He indicated that he would continue to press the Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm for more government help.

Complacency

Former P&K provost and local farmer Alex Murray, recently lambasted the current administration on the issue. “We have a situation in Highland Perthshire where we desperately need to retain young people. To do that we must provide affordable housing. There must be somewhere for people to go when they leave school and get jobs.”

Echoing widely and strongly held views on the crisis, and the role in it played by local authority inertia and bureaucratic red tape, he added: “People will leave the area if we do not build houses…we hear a lot about affordable housing, but very little seems to be done about it. The habit of doing nothing is very difficult to break.”