Plans to build affordable housing for local workers in one of Scotland's rural property hotspots are to finally get underway after being delayed by the Covid pandemic.
The Arran Development Trust (ADT) are seeking to build houses for local people who have been priced out of the market, threatening the island with a skills shortage and population drain.
Now the ADT says it is to commence with the “biggest and boldest” project run by a community organisation to build homes with rents set at at an affordable level.
The Trust says that workers in vital professions and everyday jobs can no longer afford to settle on Arran because of the high cost of property and the lack of available homes.
A huge proportion of the houses on the Inner Hebridean island in the Firth of Clyde, which has a population of around 5,000, have been bought as second homes by incomers and retirees, pushing up prices and creating a population crisis as young workers move away.
READ MORE: Arran scheme to build new houses for all key workers
In response, the ADT launched the Rowarden Affordable Housing Project in 2015, with a view to starting building work in 2020, only for the pan to grind to a halt due to Covid.
However, the scheme has now secured all the necessary funding and signed legal documentation to start “the big build.” Construction preparatory work has now begun, and the first spade will be in the ground in early March 2023.
The project will take between 14 & 18 months to complete. Finance for the project has been provided by the Rural & Islands Housing Fund (£1.512m) and Crowdproperty Finance (£2.1m)
The project will provide see 18 x 1, 2 and 3 Bedroom Homes built during the coming months. Rents will be charged at Local Authority Housing Allowance Level, ensuring they are affordable for all.
Commenting Tom Tracey (Chairman of the ADT) said - “This is an excellent example of public, private and community working together to the mutual benefit of all.
“It would not have happened without the perseverance of our small Island team and the support and patience of our service providers.
“These homes will make the difference between working families staying on the Island or being forced to leave. Unfortunately, we need many more. This must be the start of a process to fix our chronic lack of affordable housing, and not the end of it.”
Tom Tracey (Chair) and Sheena Borthwick-Toomey (Operations Director) signing the documentation for the Rowarden Affordable Housing Development
He added: “It has taken us five years to get to this point. We learned a lot in that time. Mainly, how things could be improved between Island Communities and the Public and Private sector.
“Similar learnings will have come from similar work on Mull, Colonsay and Gigha. We will come together to understand best practice and recommend changes on how funds are administered. Hopefully, we will do this with the support of Highland and Islands Enterprise and the Islands Team.
“Eighteen affordable homes will change the lives of eighteen working families on Arran. This will be a major achievement.
However, the big prize is the creation of a new and better public/private process to deliver more affordable homes on Arran and other Island communities. Today is a significant milestone on that journey.”
READ MORE: Wait for affordable Arran homes almost over with £3.6m windfall to build houses
Scottish Government, Rural & Islands Housing Fund, Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “It’s great to hear that work will start imminently on this project on Arran. The Scottish Government’s Rural and Islands Housing Fund has supported the Arran Development Trust since 2019 for them to identify a suitable site.
“Our financial support of over £1.5 million has enabled the project to proceed and these homes will provide great benefit to the local community and make a real and lasting difference to the lives of the new residents.”
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