Organised by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership and Shelter Scotland, the awards spotlight some of the inspirational people and work on empty homes taking place throughout Scotland today.

Significantly, the Old School development revitalised a building at risk bringing it back into use through redevelopment to provide 24 properties for social rent (a mix of one, two and three-bedroom flats and two and four-bedroom family houses). The site had been identified in the local plan for affordable housing given the huge shortage in rural Ballater. Working with Aberdeenshire Council a Local Lettings Plan ensured that local people benefitted from the new homes giving them the rare opportunity to stay in their local area.

Lisa Borthwick, Scottish Empty Homes Partnership national manager, said: “We were delighted to present Grampian Housing Association with their well-deserved Best Use of Empty Homes to Meet Social/Affordable Housing Need award at the 13th Scottish Empty Homes Conference.

“Our judges told us just how impressed they were with the scale of results the Association has achieved with their Ballater project with a huge 24 socially rented homes delivered from the old school and site and how it stands as a wonderful example of what can be done with empty properties throughout Scotland and wider afield.

“The Scottish Empty Homes partnership also sends its thanks to the Association, and all of our other winners and finalists, for their hard work and for helping to make our recent conference, and the past year, a standout in the history of empty homes work in Scotland.”

Craig Stirrat, chief executive of Grampian Housing Association, said: “From the outset of the project it was important for local residents that the building was saved from decay. In close partnership with Aberdeenshire Council, there was a keen desire to provide well designed, high amenity, attractive and affordable homes.

“We are delighted to have won this award which demonstrates Grampian’s commitment to working with local communities to deliver on housing need and create balanced communities.

“The site contributes to the wider community, including employment opportunities, supporting the local economy, protection of the local primary school and is a good example of creating a balanced community as well of a 20-minute neighbourhood, located close to local services, amenities, shops and recreation opportunities all on its doorstep.”

The development attracted Scottish Government funding of £1,791,984 while Grampian contributed £2,338,907 through capital borrowing. Aberdeenshire Council Top Up Grant amounted to £198,000. The contract value was £3,464,710. The project also qualified for RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive) funding of £282k over 20 years.

The accomplished design team included Ian Rodger Architects, McCue & Porter as the quantity surveyor, Ramsay & Chalmers as the structural engineer and Gordon Mitchell Contractors as the builder.

The preservation of old structures was seamlessly blended with new construction through the use of modern materials. The refurbishment’s quality is underscored by the use of real slates, traditional harling, and lime mortar, maintaining window openings and timber windows in harmony with the building’s original design. Modern extensions and annexes were removed to restore the school to its authentic layout.

The ground floor accommodation is aimed at the ageing population in Ballater while the one-bedroom properties are targeted at young single people who could not otherwise afford to move out of their parents’ homes. There are also adapted properties with level access showers. In particular, the Association is supporting a local family who has a child with disabilities by providing accessible housing.

Ballater is Grampian’s first development to trial Switchee, a Smart asset management tool which ties into our wider sustainability strategy by monitoring the building’s health and optimising energy use. Lowering bills and reducing energy consumption makes it good for both tenants and the environment. In an effort to ensure building regulations were met and the carbon footprint of the new development was mitigated, ground source heat pumps have been installed to provide heating and hot water to the new properties. This also future-proofs the properties from a reliance on fossil fuels.

Elsewhere in the awards, Dawn Meston from The Highland Council’s Housing team won a prestigious award in recognition of her contribution to bringing empty homes back into use across the region.

Housing and property committee chair, Cllr Glynis Campbell Sinclair, said: “Congratulations to Dawn on being presented The Special Recognition Award as a ‘rising star’ by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership for her positive contribution and commitment to empty homes work.

“Empty homes are wasted resources that could be used to help meet housing need. They can also cause problems for residents living nearby and can have a negative impact on the wider community.”

Cllr Campbell Sinclair added: “The work around empty homes sit in line with the key priorities outlined in the Highland Council’s Local Housing Strategy 2023-28 and forms part of the strategic planning processes for meeting housing need; working alongside other organisations and services to improve social and economic impacts. In rural areas this work contributes to the re-population and sustainment of fragile communities by bringing homes back into use for the purpose they were intended for.”

Between 1 April and 31 December 2023, a total of 25 empty properties were brought back into use following Dawn’s intervention as Highland’s empty homes officer. Her caseload currently sits at around 250 cases which reflects the high number of empty homes in Highland (over 3,000). A long-term empty home is any privately owned home that has been empty for six months or more.

Empty homes casework involves providing guidance and information regarding empty properties, including around regulation, loans/ grants, and any initiatives available to bring empty properties back into use, and providing advice on the occupation and management of properties.