The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Dismay after ‘slow start’ to island housing project
● Just seven homes completed as part of fund launched in 2016
Only seven island homes have been completed under a Scottish Government scheme to boost house building in remote communities.
Island politicians were last night dismayed by the lack of progress since ministers introduced the £5 million Island Housing Fund to help build new homes across the Northern Isles and Hebrides.
The fund was launched in 2016 with the aim of building 100 new homes in the islands by 2021. But in an answer to a Holyrood question tabled by Orkney MSP Liam McArthur, Housing Minister Kevin Stewart revealed just 16 homes had been approved through the fund so far and only seven finished.
Mr Stewart said a further 20 projects had been helped with “feasibility support” and disclosed that around £1.34 million of the £5 million pot had been allocated.
Mr McArthur said: “Our island communities have a pressing need for more affordable homes, yet these figures show that the Scottish Government is much better at constructing press releases than they are at bricks and mortar.
“Construction work in our island communities comes with its own set of challenges but there is no excuse for such a slow start to this scheme.
“Those with experience of the scheme suggest there are too many ‘obstacles’ in the way of drawing down funding.”
He said the government “must do far more to remove those obstacles”.
Cameron Anson, island home development officer with Rural Housing Scotland, said: “I would like to see a lot more houses, but with small island communities it is going to take around three years to get things up and running.
“It is disappointing it is taking so long, but there needs to be more support and boots on the ground.”
Mr Stewart said: “The £5 million Island Housing Fund is part of an overall pot of £30 million for rural and island areas.
“Through that overall fund we have delivered 48 homes in eight local authority areas with almost the same number of homes currently under construction.
“Given the complex nature of rural housing projects, the timescales for these funds are open for five years to allow as many projects as possible to come forward so will be open to 2021.
“This is an important part of our target to deliver 50,000 affordable homes across Scotland in this parliamentary term backed by £3.3 billion of investment.”