Island Housing Fund queries: FOI release

Information requested

Of the £5 million Islands Housing Fund, which was originally due to run from 2016-17 and 2021, can you outline:

1. How many new island homes were found using that funding?

2. How many existing empty properties on Scotland’s islands were refurbished using those funds?

3. On which islands were those new homes found?

4. On which islands were those empty properties refurbished?

Response

The answer to your question is - The demand-led £5 million Islands Housing Fund was open to a wide range of potential applicants, including those not able to access traditional funding streams such as community organisations, rural landowners and private developers. The Fund is part of the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

During the period 2016-17 to March 2021 a total of 73 affordable island homes were given approval to proceed for new-build housing, refurbishment of existing empty homes or conversion of non-residential buildings into housing (classified as new-build).

(1) And (3) Of the total approved during that period 48 were for new-build homes with eight homes completed during that period. Those new build homes that completed were on Mull (two), Rum (four) and Skye (two) with the remaining 40 approved on Mull (four), Raasay (eight), Skye (15), Orkney mainland (nine) and North Uist (four) completing or to be delivered after March 2021.

(2) And (4) Of the total approved during that period 25 were for refurbishment of existing homes with five homes completed during that period. Those homes were on Scalpay (two), Lewis (two) and North Ronaldsay (one) with the remaining 20 approved on Ulva (six), Skye (one), Orkney Mainland (two) Papa Westray (one), Sanday (one), Shapinsay (two), Westray (four) and Lewis (three).

During the same five year period, 2016-17 to March 2021 through the overall Affordable Housing Supply Programme, the total number of affordable island homes approved was 983, with 676 completed, and a total spend of £86.785 million.

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