Steps to prevent shortages of affordable housing in Highland have been announced today.

The Highland Council's application to extend and expand 'pressured areas' status has been approved by the Housing and Communities Minister, Alex Neil.

These changes will immediately affect almost 6,000 tenancies in the region that will have the Right to Buy their council or housing association property suspended for five years.

The suspension of Right to Buy only applies to tenancies which have commenced since September 30, 2002.

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Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil said:"This Government is committed to doing all it can to increase the supply of affordable housing across Scotland.

"That is why we have agreed to Highland Council's request to suspend Right to Buy to ease the substantial pressures facing affordable housing in the region.

"These steps help to protect the Council's social housing stock and alleviate the pressures on social rented properties in the area."

Councillor Margaret Davidson, Chairman of The Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Committee, said: "We are delighted that our application to the Scottish Government for Pressured Area Status has been successful.

"The move is one of the many ways that we are addressing the severe and persistent lack of affordable housing in many parts of the Highlands."

(GK/BMcC)