The Highland Housing Alliance has completed a development of new affordable flats in Inverness and handed over the keys to the tenants.

The Academy Street homes comprises 31, 1 and 2 bedroom flats, 17 of which were handed over through the National Housing Trust (NHT) scheme by the Highland Housing Alliance and 14 flats were handed over by the Highland Council.

The homes are of a contemporary design and come with fitted kitchens, carpets, and blinds. They were built in conjunction with the Highland Housing Alliance, the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), the Highland Council, Ark Estates and William Gray Construction, under the highly successful NHT initiative.

Gail Matheson, chief executive of the Highland Housing Alliance, said: “The Academy Street development is our first regeneration project of new homes in the city centre and has proved to be very popular. Demand remains high for similar properties.

“The NHT project has boosted the provision of good quality new homes in Inverness, bringing much needed rental accommodation with the option to buy to local families. This allows people to rent properties on short assured tenancies for a minimum period of 5 years, at a mid-market rent after which tenants can buy their homes. It enables people to get a foot on the property ladder by giving time to save for a mortgage deposit. We wish the tenants well in their new homes.”

Christa Reekie, commercial director at Scottish Futures Trust, said: “What a fantastic way to start the festive season by picking up keys to a new affordable rent home in time for Christmas.

“These new tenants will today join more than 1,000 others across Scotland now living in NHT homes who are benefiting by paying affordable rent as well as having new homes.

“The NHT programme has been a hugely popular initiative and I am extremely proud for SFT to be playing such a significant role in partnership with the Highland Housing Alliance and the council. NHT is helping to make a real difference to the lives of many people in Scotland.”

Councillor Audrey Sinclair, chair of the Highland Council’s planning, development and infrastructure committee, said: “These new flats and retail units are a most welcome addition to the wider regeneration of Academy Street and offer new NHT tenants time to prepare for home-ownership. The NHT initiative has helped many people throughout Highland and I am delighted to see more new homes being built, especially in the city centre. I look forward to further regeneration of the area and wish the new council and NHT tenants every happiness in their new homes. The council will continue to work in conjunction with their partner organisations to deliver new affordable homes throughout Highland.”

Developed by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Futures Trust, the NHT initiative is supported by a Scottish Government guarantee and is designed to create more new homes, available at a mid-market rent, in areas where there is strong demand for affordable housing.

@HighlandHousing

@HighlandCouncil

@SFT_Scotland