Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
‘Pathfinder’ scheme extends its reach
Local authority can buy‘ off-the-shelf’ properties
A “development pathfinder” scheme piloted in Airdrie and Coatbridge aiming to boost the area’s number of newbuild council houses is being extended to all of North Lanarkshire; while a council home-buying initiative which has seen 10 local properties purchased this year is also being expanded.
The successful pathfinder project, inviting constructors to nominate developments where the local authority can buy “off-the-shelf” properties which will then be used for rental, invited proposals in five areas including Monklands this summer and has to date led to “a number being considered with potential to deliver over 300 homes”.
North Lanarkshire has already purchased more than 100 properties through the scheme, saying that buying completed homes from developers is both cost-effective and supports the local economy, jobs and the construction industry.
Councillors on the housing committee were told: “There has been a significant number of enquiries from developers outwith the towns in the pilot, which shows strong demand; every site [will be] assessed on its merits.
“These acquisitions continue to represent good value for money and are a good option to help deliver much-needed housing in areas of high demand.”
Meanwhile, the authority’s open market purchase scheme – which sees the council buy forsale properties to meet its rental provision needs, often allowing it to take ownership of all the homes in a shared block – is to be continued “beyond the original estimate of 550 homes”.
Six ex-council houses in Coatbridge and four in Airdrie were among 26 across the authority area whose sales were completed in the six months to the end of September, while another 39 are currently in progress.
A total of 299 houses have now been purchased for council rental since the scheme was set up in February 2018, with that figure estimated to reach 400 by April; while the “very popular” scheme has generated more than 1700 enquiries and applications to date.
Councillors were told: “[It] is providing much-needed accommodation to meet identified local need while also enabling common works to be progressed where the purchase of flats is providing full or majority ownership of blocks; [and] represents good value for money with an average purchase and repair cost of £81,000.
“The scheme is helping to increase the supply of housing to meet need. Staff proactively engage with sellers and their agents in all areas of North Lanarkshire.
“This allows targeted identification of potential properties to acquire where demand exists or to enable progression of common works in mixed tenure blocks.”
It is an extension of North Lanarkshire’s existing empty homes purchase initiative, which has seen a further 204 homes purchased since it was established in 2013, initially targeting “longterm empty properties, particularly those that were falling into disrepair or blighting communities”.
Councillors were told that the two initiatives “have been brought together as one overall Buy Back scheme” with a £12.5 million budget in this financial year – including £3m from the Scottish Government, who are contributing £30,000 per home through the open market purchase scheme.