£50m for social housing agreed

Proposals to add to social housing in Perth and Kinross have been given a £47.8m boost.

The cash from the Scottish Government covers the next three years.

In recent years Perth and Kinross Council has built dozens of new homes, driven conversions for other sites, has ended the right to buy scheme for many tenants and introduced a buy back proposal to add to its housing stock.

Around 25 new homes a year was a target considered by the council a few years ago.

It has also invested heavily in upgrading properties to make them more energy efficient.

The cash will allow the council and house builders a chance to plan for future needs.

Welcoming the investment, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire MSP Roseanna Cunningham said: “The announcement that Perth and Kinross will receive nearly £50million over the next three years provides the certainty that the sector needs to keep progressing and ensures we keep up the momentum to reach the Scottish Government’s target of 50,000 new affordable homes by 2021.

“Committing funding until the end of this parliament will help ensure that Scotland leads the way in building homes that are high-quality, efficient and affordable, and will strengthen our house-building sector and the estimated 14,000 jobs that

“After much-needed legislative change brought in by the Scottish Government, SNP councillors oversaw the resumption of council house building in Perth and Kinross and I would like an assurance from the new administration that they will continue that commitment to expanding and renewing the stock of social rented housing, something that is sorely needed.”