Communities Housing Trust

  • Home
    • What We Do
    • Governance
    • Membership Sign Up
  • Community Led Housing
    • What is Community Led Housing? >
      • RouteMap
    • Our Services and Support
    • Case Studies
    • Climate Crisis
  • Housing
    • Current Opportunities
    • Future Opportunities
    • Surveys
    • Rural Housing Burden
  • Self Build
    • Scotland Self Build Loan Fund
    • Self Build Stories
    • Self Build Plots
    • What is Self Build >
      • Finding Land
      • Finance and Fees
      • Case Studies
    • Dr and Mrs J. Steven Faulds Memorial Fund
  • Projects
    • Rent To Buy
    • Strontian Community School
    • Greener Homes
    • Empty Homes
    • Woodland Crofts
    • The Glengarry Model
    • Long Lease
    • Key Worker Housing
    • Skills Development Programme
  • Tenants
    • TENANT INFO
    • Tenant Testimonials
  • News
    • Blog
    • Recruitment
  • Contact
    • Employee List
    • Complaints Procedure
  • Privacy Statement
    • Opt Out Page
    • Subject Access Requests
    • Withdrawal Consent Form
  • Home
    • What We Do
    • Governance
    • Membership Sign Up
  • Community Led Housing
    • What is Community Led Housing? >
      • RouteMap
    • Our Services and Support
    • Case Studies
    • Climate Crisis
  • Housing
    • Current Opportunities
    • Future Opportunities
    • Surveys
    • Rural Housing Burden
  • Self Build
    • Scotland Self Build Loan Fund
    • Self Build Stories
    • Self Build Plots
    • What is Self Build >
      • Finding Land
      • Finance and Fees
      • Case Studies
    • Dr and Mrs J. Steven Faulds Memorial Fund
  • Projects
    • Rent To Buy
    • Strontian Community School
    • Greener Homes
    • Empty Homes
    • Woodland Crofts
    • The Glengarry Model
    • Long Lease
    • Key Worker Housing
    • Skills Development Programme
  • Tenants
    • TENANT INFO
    • Tenant Testimonials
  • News
    • Blog
    • Recruitment
  • Contact
    • Employee List
    • Complaints Procedure
  • Privacy Statement
    • Opt Out Page
    • Subject Access Requests
    • Withdrawal Consent Form

Acharacle and The Nationwide Foundation (Empty Homes Project Part 1)

7/7/2015

Comments

 
In the first of this three part blog regarding the recently renovated property in Acharacle, owned by the Acharacle Community Company, I aim to discuss the background of the project as we gear up for our big Open Day next week (Wednesday 15th of July) which will mark the projects official completion.
Picture
Before Renovation
Empty Properties

In the Highlands there are numerous communities and small rural villages and towns which are home to a number of empty properties, remaining uninhabited. Renovating empty homes is something The Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust believes greatly in, as it is yet another way that we are able to provide affordable housing solutions to rural communities around the north of Scotland. Despite the current housing shortage, the UK has around 260,000 long term empty homes, with a large number of empty commercial properties which could be used as homes.

Picture
Community Owned Property
Picture
Druim Garbh, is a timber-framed, three-bedroom detached dwelling house that was built circa 1976. The community owned property had many uses since it was built, however over recent years had been left empty to deteriorate. Although the house was still standing and structurally stable, it required much renovation before it could provide as a good home for a member or family within the community of Acharacle.

A minute of agreement and a lease is in place between HSCHT the Acharacle Community Company. This allows HSCHT to manage the property on their behalf for a period of 21 years after which the home reverts to the control of the community company.

HSCHT intends to lease the home to tenants which fit with the agreed allocations policy on a Short Assured Tenancy basis.

Sustainability

Environmental, economic and social sustainability are all qualities which HSCHT believes are very important to modern housing provision. In HSCHT’s quest to secure affordable housing solutions around the north of Scotland, we also attempt to create environmentally friendly homes. Specified in the tender document was the need for the house to meet an overall standard of energy performance. In this case, that standard in terms of Building Standards is ‘Bronze Active Standard’

Bronze Active Standard – This is the baseline level where the dwelling meets the functional standards set out in Sections 1 – 6 of this [Building Standards Domestic 2013] Handbook, but in addition the dwelling includes the use of a low and zero carbon generating technology (LZCGT) in respect of meeting Standard 6.1 within Section 6, Energy. This level is primarily to assist local authorities to meet their obligations under Section 72 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 by identifying the use of LZCGT. In this respect, LZCGTs include: wind turbines, water turbines, heat pumps (all varieties), solar thermal panels, photovoltaic panels, combined heat and power units (fired by low emission sources), fuel cells, biomass boilers/stoves and biogas.’


Training
Picture
Another key aspect of the project was the introduction of a trainee element. The provision of training and jobs to young people around the Highlands is another very important part of the work HSCHT undertake. We even have our own construction skills project – The Cairngorm Skills Project. (http://www.cairngormsskillsproject.org/)

The Nationwide Foundation were also hoping that the project would allow for a trainee to work on the renovation.

Thanks to financial aid from The Highland Council, HSCHT were able to fund a trainee position. The young trainee, who is local to Acharacle, has been working as a second man to the main joiner working on the renovation, providing him with a vast amount of experience as he develops many different skills. He will be starting college later in the year to gain further knowledge in the subject as he works towards a gaining a qualification. The experience gained working on the Druim Garbh project, will hopefully provide him with a great boost as he begins his studies.

HSCHT’s own graduate trainee, who has a MA in Architecture has also been helping to project manage the refurbishment of the property.

Tender Process
Picture
The contractor for the project was chosen through a tender process. The tender document was sent to a number of local contractors, with S & K MacDonald Homes being chosen as the successful contractor.
HSCHT then worked out the final details of the renovation work with Kenneth Macdonald of S & K MacDonald homes, assessing the various options for things such as heating etc. The contractor worked very closely with HSCHT to allow us to achieve an affordable project that fit well with the funding that had been made available to us by the Nationwide Foundation.
​

UPCOMING OPEN DAY
Picture
Upcoming Blogs
Keep a look out for Part 2 and Part 3 of this Blog over the next couple of weeks.
One blog will take a further look at the property and what renovation works have been carried out. As well as a look at how the property achieves its high Energy Performance Level.
The other will showcase the completed home, as well as recap our Open Day.

For more information on the project or our upcoming Open Day, please get it touch with me via [email protected]

Picture
The Nationwide Foundation

This is the reason the Nationwide Foundation set up their Empty Homes Fund in late 2013. The Nationwide Foundation is a registered charity set up in 1997 by Nationwide Building Society that since its creation, has awarded over £30 million to other charities across the UK. This funding allows organisations such as HSCHT to turn these empty properties into habitable homes. The fund was designed to bring empty properties into use for people in housing need and also to look at solutions to the challenges which currently curtail more renovation. HSCHT applied to the fund to help to refurbish and bring two homes back into use in the Highlands. Druim Garbh is the first completed home under this scheme.


Comments

    CHT Blog

    This blog features a variety of CHT’s developments and projects located throughout the central and northern Scotland. It also includes the latest news and updates regarding the Trust.

    Archives

    April 2025
    February 2025
    November 2024
    September 2023
    August 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    April 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Archives

    April 2025
    February 2025
    November 2024
    September 2023
    August 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    April 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Acharacle
    Achiltibuie
    AGM
    Alness
    Announcements
    Applecross
    Ardgeal
    Arisaig
    Assynt
    Aviemore
    Awards
    Balmacara
    Balmaha
    Boat Of Garten
    Cairngorms
    Call For Sites
    Cannich
    Climate Crisis
    Colonsay
    Community Led Housing
    Community-led Housing
    Community Led Housing In Scotland Blog Series
    Community Owned
    Community Projects
    Conversion
    Crofting
    Dornoch
    Dufftown
    Dunkeld
    Edderton
    EGM
    Empty Homes
    Enterprise
    Events
    Funding
    Gairloch
    Glendale
    Glengarry
    Grant
    Greener Homes
    Helmsdale
    Highland Council
    Highland Self Build Loan Fund
    Isle Of Skye
    Keyworker Housing
    Kilbeg
    Kilchoan
    Knoydart
    Land Reform
    Lochaber
    Lochaber Housing Association
    Lochbroom
    Lochcarron
    Lochinver
    Lochyside
    Mallaig
    Minginish
    Mount Blair
    Mull & Iona
    Partnership
    Perthshire
    PH8
    Policy
    Raasay
    Regeneration
    Renovation
    Rented Properties
    Rent To Buy
    Repopulation
    R House
    Rothiemurchus
    Rural Housing Fund
    Scottish Government
    Scourie
    Self Build
    Self Build Loan Fund
    Skills Development Programme
    Social Housing
    Staffin
    Stratherrick & Foyers
    Strathmashie
    Strontian
    Sutherland
    Tomintoul
    Training
    Ullapool
    Woodland Crofts

Work & Services

News
Housing Opportunities​
Community Led Housing
Self Build Loan Fund

Company

What We Do
Board and Advisors
Articles of Association

Support

Contact
Employee List
Tenant Repairs 
Communities Housing Trust Logo