Finding a place to live in the centre of Inverness is becoming increasingly difficult.
Buying and renting in the city is a growing problem with a lack of affordable accommodation and many properties used for short term lets.
One not-for-profit developer says it receives up to 100 applications for every house it builds in Inverness.
Demand is set to increase with investment in the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport alone forecast to create more than 8,000 jobs.
But if you actually manage to find a city centre home, what it’s like?
We spoke to two families who are negotiating the ups and downs of being smack-bang in the heart of Inverness.
Andrew Campbell lives in Strother’s Lane with his wife and two children, aged nine and 12, and their pet dog.
Initially, a big motivation was to ensure his children would be in the catchment area for Crown Primary School.
But he has grown to love city centre life.
‘It can be noisy, but you get used to it’
“I don’t drive and where we are is central to what I need”, he said.
“My wife and I work in retail and are five minutes from our jobs. The kids are five minutes from school.
“A downside is that there is no garden, but there are so many great areas you can walk to.
“It can be noisy, but you get used to it. The kids sleep through everything now.
“They are happy. They don’t think they are missing out on anything.
“Also, if they leave for further education or whatever it could help prepare them for living in a bigger city as there won’t be so much of an adjustment.”
Andrew welcomes new housing being created in the city centre, helping to bring more people into the area.
“It’s great more people are coming back. A lot of work has gone on and places like the Victorian Market are fantastic.
“The more they can do to get more people into the centre the better.”
Are short-term lets a problem?
In a sign of the times, nine of the 16 apartments in Andrew’s block are offered as short-term lets.
He appreciates it can be a problem when people, particularly first time buyers, struggle to get on the housing ladder.
But he said: “I’ve no issue with it, but there are a lot of flats being built and not many people living in them permanently.
“It boggled my brain at first. On our first Halloween we left sweets on the doorstep and got no response.
“It would be nice to have more permanent neighbours. However, I enjoy speaking to visitors and meeting new people.
“I’ve met hundreds of tourists from all over the world which I think is good for the kids too.”
Access to Crown Primary was also a factor in a family moving into the Raining’s Stairs development off Castle Street.
Elly McPhee moved from another part of the city with her partner and two children.
The health care practitioner, 30, said: “We don’t drive so it’s handy to get out and about and have access to all the shops we need in town.
“The houses are lovely and we don’t hear much noise from the pubs and clubs.
“The one downside is there is not a lot of room to play for the kids. It’s a 15-minute walk to the nearest park.
“But there are definitely more positives than negatives.”
‘We look after each other’s houses’
She said, unlike other developments, all 16 properties in her block are occupied permanently.
“Our neighbours haven’t changed since we moved in. We know them all very well and we look after each other’s houses when we’re away.
“It’s one of the positives living here that everyone knows each other very well and there is a great sense of community.”
She believes building more accommodation will help regenerate the city centre.
“You’ll get the young ones and working people. I’m not sure there will be many families, however.”
Inverness rental crisis: 100 people fighting over every home
Do you live in the city centre? Would you like to talk to us about it? Drop us an email: north@pressandjournal.co.uk
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