ABERDEENSHIRE Council is to spend more than £90million on building new council houses and upgrading existing properties.
The announcement comes days after official new estimates showed that average property values in Aberdeenshire are expected to rise by more than £68,000 over the next five years.
There are now 7,500 people on the council house waiting list in Aberdeenshire, leading to the establishment of the building programme.
One leading councillor said last night that the council had also pledged to double the number of low-cost houses in the area.
Almost 220 new homes are planned for Peterhead, Inverurie, Westhill, Banff, Fraserburgh and Ballater over the next three years, as well as an extensive upgrade programme.
This work will include heating, kitchens, doors, roofing, insulation, door entry systems and rewiring, to be completed by the end of March 2015, in compliance with Scottish Housing Quality Standards.
Members of Aberdeenshire Council’s social work and housing committee were given the news yesterday.
Committee chairwoman Karen Clark said: “This is a significant investment in upgrading existing homes and building new council houses across Aberdeenshire.
“As house prices continue to rise, the council has also pledged to double the number of affordable housing over the next few years in order to help people on to the property ladder.”
More than 160 homes have been built over the last three years under the council’s new-build programme, helped by Scottish Government funding.
Existing sheltered housing complexes will also be reclassified as very sheltered housing, where the need exists, with funding from Aberdeenshire Change Fund.
Vice-chairwoman of the social work and housing committee, councillor Alisan Norrie, said: “As the demographics change in Aberdeenshire we have to plan for the types of housing that will be required in the future. This applies to housing provision for older people as well. Along with more adaptations to people’s homes allowing them to live as independently as possible for as long as possible, increased provision of very sheltered housing will also be required.”
Westhill councillor Ron McKail welcomed the news and said it would have a positive effect in his constituency, where 30 new homes will be built.
He added: “Any new homes in the area are to be welcomed and, in particular, if there is a provision for affordable housing.
“It provides opportunities for employers to fill vacancies, not only in the council, nursing and schools but in the oil and gas industry also.
“People will be able to come and work in the area and be able to rent property.
“There have been difficulties in the past because of property prices, but this is a positive move and one I welcome.”
Peterhead councillor Anne Allan said the provision of new houses would have a knock-on effect.
Craigewan, an area south of the town centre, will get 42 new houses.
Ms Allan said: “The site in question has been lying empty for some time now and it is good to see something being built there.
“In common with many areas, the right-to-buy scheme decimated council stock, in particular three- and four-bedroom houses.
“Hopefully this will go some way to redress that, as people move out of under-occupied homes and into the new ones, making larger houses available again.”