Plans to build more than 900 affordable homes in Argyll and Bute have been welcomed – with one long-serving councillor claiming he has never known such a positive programme in over three decades of service.
The council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) was discussed and approved by all members at a meeting on Thursday.
And Robin Currie, the authority’s policy lead for housing, roads and infrastructure services, said the programme would retain and attract people to live in Argyll and Bute.
Almost half of the new homes scheduled for completion are at Dunbeg, near Oban, with 300 expected to be finished by 2020/21 and 150 more, across three phases, by 2025.
Nearly 200 more are expected to be completed at various sites in and around Oban, including Ganavan, Glencruitten and Lonan Drive.
More than 150 are in the Helensburgh and Lomond area. These include 60 at the Golf Club site in Helensburgh and 35 at the Sawmill Site, along with 25 proposed to be built in Cardross by 2025.
Other affordable homes in the pipeline over the next six years include 50 on three sites on Islay (Keills, Port Ellen, Bowmore and Port Charlotte), 40 in Rosneath, 10 on Jura and five on Colonsay.
Cllr Currie said: “Since 2017 we have seen 192 houses being completed in Argyll and Bute, and another 161 are due to be completed by April on ten different sites, which is really good.
“The SHIP is planning to build more than 900 affordable homes in Argyll and Bute. In 31 years I have never heard of such an exciting programme of house building.
“I hope you would agree that this is a plan for growth, a plan that will retain and attract people to live in Argyll and Bute.
“It is a plan that is good for jobs, good for the construction industry and all knock-on services, good for apprenticeships and good for quality and affordable homes for many.”
The 353 homes quoted by Cllr Currie are not included in the 900 planned as part of the SHIP report.
Cllr Alastair Redman, the authority’s newly-appointed policy lead for economic growth, added: “When it comes to economic growth, housing is one of the key pillars and everything is linked to affordability and availability.
“It is good to see some of the areas that we are building in and this is a very welcome report.”
The council later confirmed that the proposals will now go forward to the Scottish Government for consideration.
Additional funding is required alongside the Scottish Government investment, and a significant contribution would come from the council’s Strategic Housing Fund, as well as Housing Association investment drawn from private sector borrowing.
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