​17 NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES IN KILBEG DEVELOPMENT

Work on the first new village in Skye in over 100 years begins this week with project partners Sabhal Mòr Ostaig - The National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture, The Highland Council and the Communities Housing Trust.

This community-led project will see 17 new affordable homes built as part of the wider Kilbeg Village development in Sleat: 6 homes for social rent with The Highland Council as well as 8 affordable homes and 3 discounted self-build plots with the Communities Housing Trust.

The homes will be a mix of discounted rent and sale, and will include family homes, level-access and wheelchair accessible homes. An adjacent private development by James MacQueen’s Ltd is due to follow shortly after, providing a further 14 flats.

Around 100 homes in total are expected to be built over time, tackling housing needs for all age groups in the community as well as supporting intergenerational living, cultural community spirit and alleviating social isolation.

Given its proximity to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, it is expected that the development will attract Gaelic speakers or learners of all ages, however, the homes will be open to all with a need to live or work in the area.

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Chairman, Angus Macleod said: “Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is proud to be spearheading the ambitious Kilbeg project that helps address the chronic need for housing, and aligns with our core aims to support the Gaelic language, culture and local economy. 

“This is a great opportunity for those with an affinity to the language and culture to apply to live in accessible, affordable housing in the new Kilbeg community next to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s vibrant campus, where language and culture is shared across generations.” 

This next phase follows the Communities Housing Trust’s previous provision of two affordable Rent To Buy homes on the Kilbeg site, now home to two young families.

Ronnie MacRae, CEO of Communities Housing Trust, said: "We are extremely excited to be part of this ground-breaking community-led project which will also provide bespoke affordable housing for the elderly and promote intergenerational living. The planned development in Kilbeg is unique in Scotland, in that it will provide a model for a mix of ages and tenures, providing opportunities for older people and younger families to support each other which also takes into account the importance of culture and heritage. Repopulating and regenerating the area in this way makes sense, and helps to ensure long-term future sustainability of the community.”
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The development has received funding from the Scottish Government’s Rural & Islands Housing Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Partnership Programme, The Highland Council, Scottish Funding Council and the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Development Trust.

​Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP commented on a visit to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (pictured above):  “It’s been great to see the hard work that has been going into this development, which will help ensure that Gaelic continues to thrive in this community.

“The Scottish Government recognises the important role that Gaelic has in Scotland’s culture and economy. I look forward to seeing this development grow and the positive impact it will have on local communities in Skye.”

Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “It is fantastic to see work start on this project in Kilbeg. Working with the Communities Housing Trust and The Highland Council and supported by over £1.2 million from Scottish Government, this project will deliver high quality, affordable homes, that will meet people’s needs and allow them to live independently, whilst remaining in their community.

“These homes will support our commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70% will be for social rent and 10% in remote, rural and island communities.

The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee Chair, Cllr Ken Gowans said: “Creating a community-led new village in Skye for the first time in over 100 years is pioneering, ambitious and pivotal to the Skye and Raasay Future (SARF) plan. The Kilbeg development has community, heritage and culture at its forefront and this innovative approach to intergenerational community living, could well be a catalyst for other areas across Highland. It’s great that construction can begin at Kilbeg and we look forward to working in close partnership with the Communities Housing Trust and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig throughout the Kilbeg village development.”

The homes will be close to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the local primary school and nursery. Also nearby is the local Medical Centre and GP Practice, Café Ostaig and the local community-owned shop at Armadale, which can be accessed by a local community transport service for the elderly.

To express interest in the homes, please register your details at: 
https://www.chtrust.co.uk/future-opportunities.html. 

A house that has lain empty for over 5 years in Achiltibuie has been transformed into two affordable dwellings thanks to an innovative funding package secured by the Coigach Community Development Company and The Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust with support from The Scottish Government, the Nationwide Foundation, The Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

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​Community ownership, through the transfer of assets, of a disused schoolhouse in the remote community of Achiltibuie, Coigach, Wester Ross has now been given a new lease of life. The Coigach Community Development Company is delighted that the renovation of the old schoolhouse is now complete, with the two newly created flats due for occupation in early March.

​An Open Day event to welcome tenants to their new homes was held on Friday 3rd March 2017, attended by those involved in the redevelopment along with people from the village.
Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust (HSCHT) project managed the development and is providing housing management services for the properties, which have been allocated to people in housing need. 

​Ronnie MacRae, CEO of HSCHT explained: 
​“HSCHT is delighted that the schoolhouse redevelopment is now complete. By working closely with The Scottish Government, the Nationwide Foundation and The Highland Council, this adds to the growing number of community-owned housing projects in the Highlands. The Coigach community will benefit greatly from two new fit-for-purpose affordable homes in Achiltibuie. The project demonstrates the great benefits derived from cooperation with the community and we hope to work with them on future projects to benefit Coigach.”

​Award-winning David Somerville Architects has redesigned the property, improving the standards with increased insulation and a responsive heating system resulting in low running costs: “With so many ex public sector houses no longer in use throughout the Highlands this project shows how affordable and energy-efficient accommodation can be made available to young families in remote communities.” The renovation was carried out by Highland based contractors, Kinellan Building Ltd.

​Included in the conversion was a complete internal and external redecoration,  with completely new kitchens and bathrooms also being installed. Externally the overgrown garden has been landscaped to provide bin stores and a new pathway and steps leading up to the house. Windows and doors were refurbished, while new ones were installed where required.

​Increasing the thermal mass of the property was important to the project. To do this, the conversion incorporated the raising of the floors to lay Kingspan insulation beneath, while also placing of 100mm mineral wool insulation in all walls between bedrooms and living rooms. Roof insulation was also increased, by laying 150mm thick earthwool insulation between ties, and 100mm thick over the rafters.
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This, as well as the upgrading of services, wiring and lighting, as well as the introduction of new combined electric boiler and domestic hot water stores in each new flat, has created a more modern, much warmer and more energy efficient home. 

​​The Scottish Government’s new Rural Housing Fund was instrumental in funding this renovation, which is the first project to be completed through this mechanism. The fund has proved popular with communities with aspirations to own their own homes and it complements other recent interventions from the Scottish Government, such as the Scottish Land Fund, the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016.

HSCHT received funding of £120,000 from the Nationwide Foundation through its Decent, Affordable Homes strategy to bring long-term empty properties back into use. This funding also contributed towards the completion of another property recently, Druim Garbh, owned by the Acharacle Community Company. 

​Sam Stewart, Head of Programmes at the Nationwide Foundation, says: 
“It is unacceptable that there is a shortage of decent, affordable homes in the Scottish Highlands, while at the same time there are properties standing empty. Too often local people have no realistic housing options and are forced to move out of the area they were brought up in. We are delighted that our funding has contributed towards two great homes for the new tenants. The community-led housing model used at the schoolhouse by HSCHT offers rural communities a real way to keep local people living in their communities.”

​Lindsay Simpson, Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross - Development Manager at Highlands & Islands Enterprise said:
“Coigach Community Development Company is the anchor organisation for HIE’s Community Capacity Building Programme and we have been working intensively with them for a number of years.
CCDC’s Community Development Plan, written in early 2012, identified housing as one of the main priorities for action.  The creation of these two housing units will go a long way in providing valuable affordable accommodation in an area where housing provision is scarce and expensive.  This will encourage young families to remain in the area and could provide key-worker housing.
HIE is proud to support communities across the region not only realise their ownership aspirations but also, use this resource to benefit the local area”.

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Cllr. Isabelle Campbell, The Highland Council said:
“I was delighted to attend The Open Day in Achiltibuie today to celebrate the completion of a joint venture of an empty school house transformed into two affordable homes. The funding package secured by The Highlands Small Communities Trust and the Coigach Community Development Company with support from The Scottish Government, The Nationwide Foundation, The Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
The Coigach Community Development Company have illustrated how community ownership through transfer of assets of a disused schoolhouse can produce two affordable homes in a rural community with housing need.
The development has been project managed by The Highlands Small Communities Trust. May I congratulate the Coigach Development Trust on their enterprise and vision for their community”.

​Since the completion of the project, it has received recognition from Shelter Scotland.

Adam Lang, Head of Communications and Policy at Shelter Scotland, said:
 “Through our management of the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership we know that far too many private properties are lying empty while people wait years for affordable homes to rent.
The Achiltibuie project is a wonderful example of what can be accomplished when a community is supported to bring an empty property back into use. It offers real hope to the many places across Scotland where people are forced to watch buildings decay when they could be transformed into much needed homes.”
 
Adam Lang added:
“Affordable housing is vital to the sustainability of communities. For places like Achiltibuie, community-driven schemes to bring empty homes back into use could play a vital role in meeting demand.”