The value of the land is in excess of £150,000, in addition to which Luss Estates has undertaken to provide further financial support, if required, to bridge the gap between available grant funding and the actual build costs of the new houses.

Link Housing has undertaken to work closely with Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority to ensure that the new houses blend in with their surroundings and take into account the architecture and heritage of Luss.

Sir Malcolm Colquhoun, Luss Estates chairman, said: “We have been in negotiation with Link Housing for some time and I am delighted that we are now able to make this major commitment to the future of Luss. I very much hope that these new houses will be made available to local families - our main aim is to ensure that they are able to stay in the area.”

Local MSP Jackie Baillie is enthusiastic about the development: “After so many years in the planning, I am thrilled that Luss Estates has made this generous gift. I look forward to seeing affordable family housing delivered in Luss, and I urge eligible local residents to make sure that they are registered appropriately with Argyll & Bute Housing and Link Housing.”

The provision of appropriate housing to retain and attract young families to Luss was key to the 2013 publication of the Luss Strategic Development Framework, which was produced by urban design and economic development team at Page\Park Architects and Roger Tym Associates. It followed eighteen months of extensive research and consultation with the local community and key stakeholders including Argyll and Bute Council and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority.

It provides a clear roadmap for increasing the number of families in Luss, shifting the balance away from an aging population, sustaining the local primary school and other services, reversing years of economic decline, maximizing the benefits to the village from the huge number of tourist it attracts, and creating a sustainable community.

Sir Malcolm added: “It seems absolutely clear to me that the key to the future of places like Luss must lie in the development of economic opportunities, allied to the provision of family housing, which will in turn lead to the provision of secure, properly rewarded jobs, especially for the young.”