Angus ecohomes bid must wait on election

A bid to retrieve £3 million of Tay Cities cash for a zero-carbon Arbroath housing project has been thrown into further doubt by the announcement of next month’s snap general election.

Amid fears other projects in the £700m programme could be placed in jeopardy, Angus officials will have to wait for the outcome of the Westminster vote before securing a secretary of state showdown over the seven-figure sum.

The authority reacted with anger to the recent announcement of money for projects in Perthshire and Fife, claiming Angus had been “overwritten” in the latest announcement.

The £3m was originally earmarked for a 2,500-home plan on land at Arbroath’s 45 Commando Royal Marine base, and council leader David Fairweather said he believed the money would stay locally.

It has emerged Angus officials were working on an Aspiring to Grow initiative to build 100 new zero-carbon homes, as well as kitting out 50 existing properties in the town with smart technologies.

The council described the £3m as “seedcorn” funding for the scheme.

It said a number of sites were being investigated as possible locations, with talks also having taken place in an attempt to lever private sector finance.

A council spokesman said: “The Angus: Aspiring to Grow Project set out how newbuild and existing affordable housing could be re-imagined, or re-modelled towards achieving smart, zero-carbon homes through a large-scale demonstrator development of 100 new homes and upgrading 50 existing homes.

“It would have been developed using the £3m as seedcorn funding to deliver on UK Government clean growth targets.

“Angus Council and Scottish Government funding had been identified and we had engaged with private sector partners in relation to the project.”

“We were confident of demonstrating the clear advantages and marketability of smart technology and zerocarbon products, while still achieving profit margin.”

The council said it hoped to create 30 new jobs and 10 apprenticeships through the project.