More than 700 new affordable homes should be built by 2021

A target for building affordable homes in Perth and Kinross is firmly on course, councillors will be told tomorrow.

The local authority is aiming to oversee the construction of 750 such properties by 2021 as part of a five-year overall plan.

A total of 32 homes have recently been completed in Perth, with two other sites in the city – Caledonia Road and Canal Street – both due to be finished in the coming months.

Additional sites in Stanley and Milnathort are due for completion this year.

The £17 million Muirton regeneration scheme will also lead to a further 102 affordable homes by 2019.

A report drawn up by Lorna Cameron, Perth and Kinross Council’s interim director of housing and community safety, for tomorrow’s housing and communities committee, says the local authority is aiming to deliver high-quality affordable housing in “safe and secure” neighbourhoods.

Her report says: “We have a healthy new-build programme to deliver our target of 750 affordable homes in the five years of the strategy.

“This programme, which includes our ‘buy-back scheme’ where we purchase former council houses, has helped reduce our housing waiting lists and our homeless presentations, as has our work with the private rented sector.”

The report says the number of applicants on the housing waiting list fell to 2,798 in March from 3,276 in March 2016.

Ms Cameron adds: “The overall programme for the five years of the strategy remains on target.”