ACHA reveals year’s spending priorities

Spending worth nearly £32.5 million has been approved for the next financial year by the Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) board.

Some £20m of this figure will be spent on improving and upgrading its existing stock, broken down into £12.1m on capital improvements, £7.5m on repairs and planned maintenance and £260,000 on aids and adaptations.

On a per unit basis this equates to £3,854 per unit.

The association also plans to invest £3.4m in a programme of around 100 new build homes.

In terms of investment in its existing stock, priority will go towards energy efficiency as part of works to 1,000 properties and the association also plans to install 200 new heating systems and 120 new kitchen and bathroom packages.

The association plans to install 189 new door entry systems in tenements as well as 254 window replacements in existing stock.

ACHA also plans to invest a further £300,000 in its exemplar estates initiative, focusing in on environmental improvements.

The total budget for the expenditure, when staffing and other management costs are also included, amounts to £32.5m.

ACHA chief executive Alastair

MacGregor said: ‘This expenditure profile will not only invest in making our homes and services better, it will continue to be a stimulus in the local economy at this difficult time – £32.5m will see investment resulting in new homes right through to ACHA purchasing timber and breeze blocks from local suppliers and a whole range of economic spin-offs in between.’

He added: ‘This is an investment for home improvement, service delivery and jobs.’