Trust marks housing milestone in Staffin
THE COMPLETION of a house in Flodigarry, Staffin, on the Isle of Skye, marks the 50th home to be delivered by The Highland Small Communities Housing Trust’s ( HSCHT) Rent to Buy scheme.
Using loan funding from the Scottish Government, the innovative scheme has provided affordable homes for rent then purchase in more than 20 Highland communities since it was launched in 2013.
Flodigarry is a crofting township in the north- east of Skye and is famous for once being the home of Flora MacDonald, who famously helped Bonnie Prince Charlie evade capture.
HSCHT invited the community to suggest a new name for the house, which is near Dun Flodigarry Hostel and Flodigarry Hotel. Several suggestions were made, most of them in Gaelic, and Flodigarry’s oldest resident, Lena Nicolson, picked Buailtean Gorma as her preferred choice.
Minister for Housing Kevin Stewart said: ‘ I’m delighted our funding has helped make affordable housing a reality in this rural area. This latest house is a great example of providing a tailored solution to the needs of individuals, allowing them to remain within, and sustain, their communities.’
The 50 properties are spread throughout the Highlands in many locations where mainstream housing options would be unlikely to be provided, including Acharacle, Shieldaig and Balmacara.