CHT have much experience in renovating and converting empty properties into affordable homes of different tenures, working closely with communities to meet their needs.
Scotland currently has a housing shortage, a climate emergency and over 43,000 long term empty homes, many falling into disrepair. The deterioration of unused buildings is having an increasingly negative effect on community confidence and appeal, while the demand for housing is an ongoing issue for communities.
The cost of renovating empty buildings often exceeds that of constructing new homes, while the complexity of retrofitting for the climate crisis adds uncertainty and additional challenges, deterring communities and individuals wishing to repurpose disused buildings and bring them back into functional use.
CHT is involved with a range of renovation projects, bringing substantial benefits to communities and both local and national government.
Read more below:
The cost of renovating empty buildings often exceeds that of constructing new homes, while the complexity of retrofitting for the climate crisis adds uncertainty and additional challenges, deterring communities and individuals wishing to repurpose disused buildings and bring them back into functional use.
CHT is involved with a range of renovation projects, bringing substantial benefits to communities and both local and national government.
Read more below:
| Empty Homes Factsheet |
Glendale, Skye
Ongoing project to renovate and convert the community-owned disused Borrodale School and Schoolhouse, in partnership with the Glendale Trust.
A standard renovation for the Borrodale buildings was found to be unviable, so new and innovative approaches need to be found. This project has two main aims:
The project will focus on recycling and reusing materials, and establish a skills development programme in order to help boost rural trades, particularly 'green' skills and sustainable construction - much needed in rural areas.
A standard renovation for the Borrodale buildings was found to be unviable, so new and innovative approaches need to be found. This project has two main aims:
- to renovate and convert the disused schoolhouse and school into five or six housing units comprising two 2-bedroom homes and three/four 1-bedroom homes;
- to build on the positive work of other organisations to provide a 'routemap' of recommendations and solutions for community restorations of disused buildings to provide much needed housing, significant economic growth, environmental benefits and community resilience from what are currently eyesores.
The project will focus on recycling and reusing materials, and establish a skills development programme in order to help boost rural trades, particularly 'green' skills and sustainable construction - much needed in rural areas.
Borrodale School & Schoolhouse within Glendale. Credit: Al Mearns
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The derelict school buildings for conversion. Credit: The Glendale Trust
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The project has so far received funding from the Scottish Government's Rural Communities Into Action Fund, delivered by Inspiring Scotland, and also the Architectural Heritage Fund. This funding, for feasibility and development work, follows support from the Scottish Land Fund to transfer the buildings into community ownership with The Glendale Trust in 2014.
Read more below:
Read more below:
| Glendale Case Study |
In 2016/17, CHT received funding of £120,000 in the form of Grant and Loan from the Nationwide Foundation to bring back into use two empty homes which were previously uninhabitable. Once renovated, these properties were then be rented at an affordable rate to local, low income families.
Acharacle
The project was a collaboration led by CHT which is leasing one of the two properties from the Acharacle Community Company. An unemployed Trainee also gained qualifications in the building trade by working on the project, in order to help lead to paid employment.
The funding is part of the Nationwide Foundation’s Decent, Affordable Homes strategy. Please visit the Nationwide Foundation website for further details.
Work has completed on the first community owned property, as these before and after photos show:
The funding is part of the Nationwide Foundation’s Decent, Affordable Homes strategy. Please visit the Nationwide Foundation website for further details.
Work has completed on the first community owned property, as these before and after photos show:
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Read our three-part blog series discussing the project in further detail, and read more on Acharacle as a case study here.
Achiltibuie
The second of our Nationwide Foundation empty homes projects was the conversion of an empty two-storey property into two affordable flats. Located in Achiltibuie, this project reached completion in March 2017, through working with Coigach Community Development Company. Additional funding was secured from the Scottish Governments Rural Housing Fund (the first successful completed project), the Highland Council, and Highlands & Islands Enterprise. Read more about the Achiltibuie project in the blog.
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The full case study can be downloaded below:
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Open Day March 2017 - Celebrating the completion of the Old Schoolhouse being converted into two affordable rented units.
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Other projects: Strathmashie, Laggan
Another example is an empty property renovation in Strathmashie. Read more in the blog.
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