Developer’s surprise six-figure bid for sheltered housing turned down

A six- figure bid by a private developer to buy sheltered housing from Angus Council has been rejected.

Final preparations are under way to empty Inglis Court in Edzell and replace the 25 homes with 21 new properties after housing chiefs said it had become impossible to let the once-popular flats.

The scheme was significantly modernised as recently as eight years ago but the £3.5 million regeneration programme will see the village site cleared and replaced with a mix of one, two and three- bedroom council houses.

Angus housebuilder Mark Guild made the surprise £250,000 offer af ter questioning the economic wisdom of razing the complex.

The council’s policy and resources committee decided to rejec t the offer at its meeting yesterday following a

recommendation by officers. Housing services manager John Morrow told the committee an adequate amount of social housing should be kept available.

He said: “We feel it is important to provide this affordable housing option for rent instead of relying on the private sector. The private sector has a place but we feel in a rural village setting such as

Edzell it is important to provide a mix.”

Councillors were told there are 215 people on the council’s housing list but Inglis Cour t had become difficult to let.

In a repor t for the committee, communities director Stewart Ball’s report to councillors said the complex is “not surplus to requirements and therefore not available for sale”.

Angus housebuilder Mark Guild made the £250k offer.