South Lanarkshire Council has unveiled it's new five-year Local Housing Strategy (LHS).

The blueprint aims to deliver the local authority's commitment to build 1,000 new council homes between 2017 and 2022.

In addition, the strategy sets out nine outcomes which cover housing supply, quality and energy efficiency, supporting independent living, addressing and preventing homelessness and promoting sustainable places.

Key strategic priorities and actions associated with these nine LHS outcomes include the following highlights;

• increase the supply of affordable housing, including 1,000 new council homes, through the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP)

• increase the supply of housing suitable for older people and those with disabilities and particular needs, through the new affordable housing programme and private sector development

• all Registered Social Landlord providers and the Local Authority to achieve the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) for their homes by 2020

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• in partnership, develop extra care and transitional housing models to meet intermediate care needs and contribute to reductions in unplanned hospital admissions and delayed discharge

• review provision of temporary and supported accommodation to ensure it is suitable and sustainable to meet the needs of homeless households

• progress the Whitlawburn Regeneration Masterplan, including development of new housing

Cllr Josh Wilson said the LHS was "absolutely vital" to delivering the council's housing priorities.

"It is aspirational, ambitious and puts a number of our administrations commitments into action," he said.

"It commits us to ensuring there is a clear focus on regeneration, to creating more successful and sustainable communities, to developing housing for older people which meets their needs, to reviewing the council’s programme of buying back into council ownership properties sold under Right to Buy and puts targets on increasing the number of accredited private landlords in South Lanarkshire."

Reaffirming the council's commitment to build 1000 new homes by 2021/2022, Cllr Wilson said the figure is "not the limit of our ambitions".

"The level of housing need in South Lanarkshire and the service pressure which exists mean we need to continue to identify further opportunities to deliver affordable new homes," he continued.

Daniel Lowe, the Executive Director of Housing and Technical Resources, said: "This exciting new strategy provides a clear framework for the council and our partners as we look to deliver on our objectives of suitable, affordable and sustainable homes."

(LM/MH)