Extension of affordable rural housing fund welcomed by MSP
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The extension of a Scottish Government fund, designed to help fund affordable homes in rural communities with housing pressures, has been welcomed by Kate Forbes MSP.
The £30million Rural and Islands Housing Fund was launched in 2016, and housing minister Kevin Stewart has confirmed it will continue beyond March 2021.
The fund was set up to help groups such as community organisations, development trusts and private landowners build new affordable housing or refurbish existing properties.
In Ms Forbes’ constituency, homes have already been completed in Abriachan, Drumnadrochit, Flodigarry, Glenmoriston and the Isle of Rum, works are progressing on site in Fort Augustus, Lochaline and Staffin – with others in the pipeline for Cannich, Glendale and Kilbeg.
The MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch said: “Rural housing is critical and so the extension of the Rural and Islands Housing Fund is great news. It has made a big difference to communities in the Highlands since it was launched, with new homes right across the area.
“ Already 200 new affordable homes have been delivered in the last few years, but the real value isn’t so much in the figures but in where the homes have been built.
"In some of the smaller communities, even five new homes have made a huge difference. I hope it will continue to be of benefit to rural and island communities.”
