Construction is expected to start on 219 affordable homes before March 2025.

Moray Council’s Housing and Community Safety Committee yesterday reviewed the Affordable Housing Investment Plan, which is designed to allocate investment to the areas in Moray where the demand for affordable housing is greatest.

High-priority areas include Banff Road in Keith, Speyview in Aberlour, Garmouth Road in Lhanbryde, and Ferrylea in Forres, to maintain a balance of affordable housing available to residents in Moray. A level of funding will continue to be invested in Elgin South, and Bilbohall.

As in previous years, the Moray programme will be delivered by a combination of the council and Grampian Housing Association, Cairn Housing Association, and Osprey Housing.

The committee also received an update on the Bilbohall development with a multi-disciplinary team being appointed to prepare an alternative site design. This will increase phase one from 84 to 106 properties. Once the planning approvals are secured, work is expected to begin in winter 2024/25.

Chair of Moray Council’s Housing and Community Safety Committee, Cllr Amber Dunbar, said; “The council’s continued partnership with our Housing Associations and the construction industry is essential in making sure as many affordable houses as possible can be built with the funding available.

“There’s a high demand for affordable housing in Moray and these planned new homes will create a better future for many people right across the area. The issues we’ve experienced with construction prices and industry uncertainty hasn’t helped in achieving our aims but I’m reassured that a workable strategic plan is in place to progress our need for more affordable housing in Moray.”