During a meeting held last week, committee members had the opportunity to consider the council’s draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan and discuss the projects either underway or about to come on stream in the local area to provide much needed new affordable housing.

Councillor Ian Cockburn, chair of the committee, said: “Securing land is vital if we are to be able to deliver for our communities. It is great to see the work already underway to provide much needed new homes as our communities have been calling out for this especially so young people and families can remain living and working locally. The biggest issue is acquiring the necessary land so I am pleased that further work with landowners will take place so the council can help local housing trusts and communities be able to plan for more top-quality affordable homes where they are most needed.”

Earlier in the committee meeting, Roslyn Clark, local development officer with the Applecross Community Company, gave an update on the work of the local company and highlighted that the Applecross Community Trust is about to start work on a development of three housing units for rent due for completion later this year and have secured land for additional affordable housing for which a feasibility study has been commissioned.

Elsewhere across the area, a project to renovate a property in Plockton to create a two-bedroomed house for rent by the council will be going out to tender shortly, a partnership development by the Highland Council, Highland Communities Housing Trust and Community Woodland at Lochcarron which, subject to planning consent, will deliver up to 27 new properties and in Glenelg, the Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association is developing proposals for four houses for affordable rent.