Housing / Latest housing investment plan ‘ambitious with a touch of reality’
THE LATEST iteration of Shetland Islands Council’s strategic housing investment plan (SHIP) has been approved by elected members, with new builds in Brae among the proposals.
The plan looks ahead to how new housing could be supplied in the isles, based on Scottish Government funding, and is refreshed on an annual basis.
The latest version of the plan – which covers the period from 2026/27 to 2030/31 – was approved by members of the development committee on Wednesday morning.
Housing manager Anita Jamieson described it as a “bidding document” to the Scottish Government for affordable housing supply programme funding.
One of the projects in the SHIP which is in the design phase is the project to turn the vacant Janet Courtney Hostel at the old Anderson High School site into flats, with 19 units in the plan.
There are also 40 units proposed at the former school site on a wider basis for the period through 2030/31.
Meanwhile 14 units are suggested for the former Eric Gray Centre site in Lerwick.
Outside the town six units are proposed for the Brae police station site.
The SIC bought the former police station buildings using government funding and intends to demolish the properties before building on the site.
Twelve units at the former Moorfield Hotel site in Brae are also included in the plan, which is a Hjaltland Housing Association project.
Hjaltland’s Staneyhill development is also included in the plan.
Some refurbishments are also included in the SHIP, such as 11 units in Kalliness in Weisdale.
SIC housing manager Jamiesion said for planning purposes the council has been advised to use a “resource planning assumption” of £5.273 million of annual funding coming from the Scottish Government.
She highlighted to councillors wider issues including contractor capacity and availability, and the cost of materials.
Jamieson also said there some other potential funding avenues too outside the affordable housing supply programme.
But Shetland South councillor Allison Duncan questioned if the plan was “wishful thinking”.
Jamieson responded: “I think we have to assess what we need to deliver, and be ambitious with a touch of reality.”
She said the SIC recognised there was “massive” housing demand, but that delivery was a challenge.
Shetland West member Liz Peterson meanwhile questioned the figure of 209 units that is included in the plan, given that some were refurbishments.
She said she was aware some of the refurbishments were going to be costly, but described the 209 figure as “slightly misleading”.
Jamieson reiterated it was just a submission to the Scottish Government, but acknowledged “arguably it’s not a new unit in the sense that it’s a replacement”.
SIC leader Emma Macdonald said in her view it was important to keep engaging with the local construction industry, particularly so they were aware of timelines.
Meanwhile depute leader Gary Robinson questioned whether there could be an avenue for extra funding for the cost of demolishing properties with “bad blocks” – the so-called Sullom blocks which were used a few decades ago and deteriorate over time.
This is the case for council flats in the Pitt Lane area in Lerwick, which are set to be demolished.
Robinson highlighted how £10 million of government money had been made available to Aberdeen City Council to cover costs of demolishing properties affected by RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete), which has drawn safety concerns in recent years.
He questioned if “bad blocks were in fact our RAAC”.
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