Members of The Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Committee will this week (Wednesday 16 September) consider bidding for funding to reintroduce the first programme of council housing building since 1995.

The Committee is being asked to consider submitting a £1.275 million funding bid to the Scottish Government to support the construction of 51 houses.

As part of the bid, the Committee will also be asked to approve the use of £1.02 million from the Council’s Landbank fund, £1 million from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account as well as additional borrowing of £2.57 million.

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The Council has until 25th September to submit its funding bid to the Scottish Government and the outcome of the bid will be known in early December 2009 when funding agreements are concluded with local councils.

A total 51 housing units are earmarked in the new house building programme on Council-owned or Highland Housing Alliance sites. A possible site at Caol is currently under negotiation with NHS Highland.

The sites are at Caol (8 units); Dingwall North (10 Units); Invergordon old golf course ( 12 units); Nairn Corsee ( 9 units); and Tain Scotsburn Road (12 Units).

The new housing would be mainstream two and three bed properties with the exception of those at Nairn, which would be designed for older people or people with other health needs. All the new properties would be comparable to the new energy efficient homes recently developed by the Highland Housing Alliance at Kildary.

(GK/KMcA)