Thursday, 30 June 2022

OUR HOMES BRIEFING NOTE

1. Community Housing trust have planning and funding to build homes in Inverfarigaig

2. We have to do trial pits, costs approx. £4000, at Wildside for the proposed land purchase.  The Local Council are preparing papers for the purchase of this land at £27,000

3. The quote for the Housing Needs Assessment has been prepared by Communities Housing Trust, approx. £3000.  Attached.

4. We have got an indication from Scottish Land Fund that we could cover our feasibility costs up to £30000 and then purchase land at Whitebridge and Inverfarigaig Forest School with Scottish Land Fund money.  We are waiting on current status of Rural Housing Grant.  It may be useful to try and get these funds first to ensure a relationship with the funders rather than paying for it ourselves.  Our fundraisers are already working on these proposals but we seek thoughts of the Housing Group.

Directors have been going to see some housing schemes but From the meeting notes, group members might find it useful to check out the notes of the two Our Homes workshops last year - to save reinventing the wheel.  There's quite a lot of useful information recorded already, e.g. about housing design in the first workshop:

First workshop - https://www.communityfuture.net/posts/24

Second workshop - https://www.communityfuture.net/posts/40 - then click on the link to the sharper version of the summary diagram.

There are similar notes for all the other workshops too, they're all easy to find if you scroll back through the Action Plan News section of the SFCAP website.

CHT housing proposal at Inverfarigaig

Ronnie confirmed that the Communities Housing Trust has recently received planning permission for 6 units (mix of 2 rent, 2 serviced affordable self build plots and 2 for low cost home ownership. all under an allocations policy that will be agreed with the community to target local priorities - local residents, the Community Council, the Community Trust).  A newsletter will be coming out soon with an update.

In response to a question, funding is from a variety of sources including Rural and Islands Housing Fund - Ronnie will check and respond.

CHT also has the opportunity at Gorthleck, and keen to look at any other opportunities that come up.

Potential housing site next to the Wildside Centre

SFCT has made a proposal to the Council to purchase land next to the Wildside for general needs housing, and is undertaking trial pits to check ground conditions before confirming purchase of the land.

Housing Needs Assessment

CHT has quoted approximately £3000 for this.  Council has said that they would welcome this.

The HNA could include a question for local landowners to understand whether they have land or buildings which could be used.  An alternative is a more focussed trawl of local landowners.

Ronnie explained how housing allocations can either be in line with the statutory housing waiting lists (through a Registered Social Landlord) or community-led (through SFCT for example acting as a private landlord, which enables the local community to set its own housing criteria - e.g. for young families, or key workers, or older people).  CHT are proposed in the second alternative in Inverfarigaig - with the main community-wide priority already established through the Community Action Plan (affordable homes for rent for local families).

Potential Scottish Government funding for housing feasibility

SFCT needs to decide whether to proceed with the Wildside trial pits / land purchase and Housing Needs Assessment from its own funds, or apply for Scottish Government feasibility funding (Rural and Island Housing Fund and Scottish Land Fund are the two potential sources of Scottish Government funds).  

CHT advice was that it's good to source more funds (especially given the current financial climate) and also to build relationships.  CHT kindly offered to support SFCT fundraisers in preparing applications.  Ronnie point out that community-led housing takes time, so getting the land and banking it would do no harm - so it's ready-to-go when funds are available to build.  Catriona agreed.

SG will want to see an equitable contribution to the scheme, but if that contribution can be without private finance it will create fewer hoops to jump through.

If a Local Place Planning exercise takes place later in the year, it could investigate the potential of empty properties in each area for new homes - bearing in mind that refurbishment of older property can be very complicated and expensive.

Inverfarigaig Forest School

There are two potential land acquisitions under discussion in Inverfarigaig.  

SFCT has agreed to purchase land on behalf of a local community group, had the impression that's what the community is interested in, and were worried that taking forward two bits of land might be too much for a small community.

Claire explained that she and other local residents are keen to progress the forest school and the adjoining land (the other piece of land), and would like to join a steering group.  SFCT has costed the purchase and has spoken to current owners FLS about it.  LIkely to take a year to process the asset transfer from FLS.  Tony welcomed local people being involved.

Tony will send information to Claire.

2025

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