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INVESTMENT FOR NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES IN DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY

Communities Minister, Rhona Brankin, today announced in Dumfries a record £13 million investment for affordable housing in Dumfries and Galloway over the next year.

This is an increase of 13 per cent compared to the funding announced at this time last year.

Working with the local authority and local housing associations, Communities Scotland, the Executive’s housing and regeneration agency, will manage investment for around 200 new homes to be built for rent or low-cost ownership in the area.

Announcing the funding at a visit to a new housing development by Home Scotland and Irvine Housing Association at Glasgow Road, Dumfries today, Ms Brankin said:

“The Executive is investing record sums of money through Communities Scotland to provide more decent, warm affordable homes to meet people’s needs.

“This funding will make a huge difference for many people in Dumfries and Galloway

allowing them to get decent homes they can afford.”

Communities Scotland’s area director for South West Scotland, Roger Popplewell, said:

“The budget of £13 million this year represents a record level of funding for Dumfries and Galloway.

“Communities Scotland’s Dumfries & Galloway team will continue to work with Dumfries & Galloway Council and local housing associations to identify need and get best value for money in delivering quality homes for people across the area.”

FURTHER INFORMATION

1. Details of the programme and examples of areas in Dumfries and Galloway which will benefit from funding this year include:

• Around 20 units for rent in New Galloway of which six will be for older people. New homes will also be built in Newton Stewart and Penpont.

• Over 30 homes are being approved in Dumfries as part of the early action projects to implement the area’s Neighbourhood Renewal Programme.

• There will also be around 8 homes for rent with a number of Homestake properties developed in Dalry.

2. Homestake is Communities Scotland’s shared-equity scheme aimed at people on low incomes who wish to be homeowners but cannot pay the full price for a house Housing associations part-fund a share in the property and hold a part ‘equity stake’ in the property with the homeowner.

3. The Neighbourhood Renewal Programme is a five-year programme of housing and regeneration activities to transform communities in south central Stranraer and north west Dumfries.

4. The Glasgow Road housing development visited by Rhona Brankin is the second partnership project in Dumfries undertaken between Home Scotland Housing Association and Irvine Housing Association. The initial partnership project was at College Street in Dumfries where Home Scotland was the lead developer and where 19 of the total of 38 properties were successfully delivered to Irvine Housing Association. In the Glasgow Road project the lead developer role is being taken by Irvine and of the 64 properties in construction 30 will be for Home Scotland. The development is in the North West Area of Dumfries next to Home Group’s existing development in Newbridge, Dumfries. The development is a mix of 58 general needs two, three and four bedroom houses plus four amenity bungalows and two wheelchair bungalows. The £6.4 million project was supported by £4.4 million from Communities Scotland.

Communities Scotland was abolished on 1 April 2008. This is an archived site and the contents may no longer be accurate. If you are looking for information about housing and regeneration, please visit www.scotland.gov.uk For information about regulation and inspection, please visit www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk.