Houses-to-affordable-homes scheme making progress in the Highlands

FORTY houses are said to have been purchased by the Highland Council, as part of a recently-launched scheme aiming at increasing the local authority’s stock of ‘affordable homes’ for local people.

The claim was made in an interview with BBC Radio Scotland, given by the chair of the council’s economic and infrastructure committee, Cllr Ken Gowans, who added that “around 250 notes of interest” have been received, these last six months or so, from prospective sellers, with ten more homes “being processed” this month with a “further 40 actively being considered”.

The councillor’s comments follow an announcement, here, in January that the council was looking to purchase properties, to then make them available as ‘affordable homes’.

Said the announcement, at the time: “The council is asking anyone considering selling a house to contact them and help make to make a difference to families who are in need of a home.”

The scheme isn’t solely aimed at owners of holiday lets (as might be popularly assumed), but anyone thinking of selling a house.

Pictured: the Highland capital of Inverness, Picture credit: Place Design Scotland