Invergordon set for housing boost after council buys land
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A "BRIGHT future" awaits an Easter Ross town after a swathe of land was bought by Highland Council to create up to 100 new homes.
Invergordon is set for the housing boost on land at Cromlet, lying to the south of Harbour View.
Describing the news as "so exciting", Councillor Maxine Smith, said she had long campaigned for new housing for the town.
"We could be looking at council houses, Albyn houses, LIFT houses, as well as mid-market rentals and private housing. I see a bright future for the town, now things are starting to move forward," she said.
This was echoed by long-serving Invergordon hairdresser Sharon Mitchell. She agreed more houses were desperately needed but said more shops must follow because the town centre was sorely lacking its yesteryear "buzz".
"It used to be thriving here but it’s Alness that’s thriving now. If they’re going to be building more houses we need more shops."
The celebrated land deal cost £715,000.
The council said this was funded through grants from the Scottish Government.
A spokeswoman said no decision had been taken as to the timescale for development or of the mix of tenure for the land, which is identified within the Inner Moray Firth Development Plan as having capacity for 100 homes,
She said it is likely that the development will include housing for mid-market rent and shared equity as well as housing for social rent by the council or Albyn Housing Society.
Ms Mitchell, who has been running Sharon’s Unisex Hair Studio on King Street for more than 25 years, said the council should make the homes available for purchase under a LIFT Scheme, known otherwise as a Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers.
Under this shared equity scheme, of which there are two different models, the Scottish Government is this year providing £70 million to help people buy a home, within certain price thresholds, for sale on the open market. It also can help people buy a new-build home from a council or housing association.
Ms Mitchell said: "A LIFT scheme would be the best. The majority of my younger clients are saying they’re still staying at home with their mums and dads and trying to save and getting nowhere.
"Or a few friends have clubbed together and are renting a place because they can’t afford to live on their own."
Cllr Smith, who has been campaigning for new homes for Invergordon, is overjoyed with the move.
She said people want to live and rent social housing in Invergordon, but some also want to buy privately.
"To this end I managed to include two new housing sites in the Inner Moray Firth Local Plan a few years ago. These were the northern end of the Cromlet site, opposite the rugby club and the farmland at Davidson Drive, surrounding the farm buildings.
"Both landowners were approached and the latter is under discussion."
She added: "Invergordon has so much to offer in terms of employment, both at the base and industrial estates, as well as the cruise sector, which is growing, but people need a decent roof over their heads.
"By encouraging inward-migration and moving around within the town we also encourage the economics to grow, so more people means more people in the town shopping and more new shopping ideas popping up as there would be people to use them.
"In latter years, Invergordon’s population has settled around the 3800 mark, whereas Alness has grown to just over 5000.
"It is time this balanced-out and allowed both towns to be more equal in terms of shopping experiences."
