Affordable Housing Supply Programme grant award information: FOI release

Information requested

• The grant award amount given to SLC payable over the Financial Year 2024 to 2025 in connection with the land at Westwoodhill, East Kilbride.
• A breakdown of the elements of that award, and their respective financial totals.
• The dates provided by South Lanarkshire Council to the Scottish Ministers, on accepting that offer, when (a) the affordable housing development is expected to start on site and (b) the affordable housing development's estimated date of completion.
• Whether a Scottish council that already owns a proposed development site land can administratively transfer this from one council Service to another and be eligible to apply for and be granted an award under the AHSP for the acquisition of land that the council already owns. If this is possible, please specify any particular circumstances or conditions that apply.
• If a grant to acquire land for housing development under the AHSP was approved, and the land was later deemed to be unsuitable for that purpose, whether a council would be able to seek to transfer the grant award to an alternative suitable development site, or if it would require to repay the grant in full.

Response

The answer to your question(s)

Please provide the grant award amount given to SLC payable over the Financial Year 2024 to 2025 in connection with the land at Westwoodhill, East Kilbride.

The total grant funding provided to South Lanarkshire Council during the financial year 2024 to 2025 in connection with the site at Westwoodhill, East Kilbride was £1.4 million.

Please provide a breakdown of the elements of that award, and their respective financial totals.

The full grant payment of £1.4 million was made on 20 March 2025 and related to the valuation of the site

Please provide the dates provided by South Lanarkshire Council to the Scottish Ministers, on accepting that offer, when (a) the affordable housing development is expected to start on site and (b) the affordable housing development's estimated date of completion.

1. The grant offer was accepted by South Lanarkshire Council on 19 March 2025. At the point of acceptance, no information was provided to the Scottish Ministers regarding the expected site start date or the estimated date of completion for the affordable housing development.

2. The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Responsibility for determining and managing site start and completion dates sits with South Lanarkshire Council as the strategic housing authority. In accordance with section 17(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, we are therefore required to notify you that this information is not held.

Please confirm whether a Scottish council that already owns a proposed development site land can administratively transfer this from one council Service to another and be eligible to apply for and be granted an award under the AHSP for the acquisition of land that the council already owns. If this is possible, please specify any particular circumstances or conditions that apply.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information you have requested. Responsibility for this matter sits with South Lanarkshire Council. In accordance with section 17(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, we are therefore required to notify you that this information is not held. You may wish to contact South Lanarkshire Council directly, which may be able to assist.

Please confirm if a grant to acquire land for housing development under the AHSP was approved, and the land was later deemed to be unsuitable for that purpose, whether a council would be able to seek to transfer the grant award to an alternative suitable development site, or if it would require to repay the grant in full.

I can advise that that the following clauses apply to our offer of grant to South Lanarkshire Council :-

11. Default and Recovery etc. of Grant

11.1. The Scottish Ministers may re-assess, vary, make a deduction from, withhold, or require immediate repayment of the Grant or any part of it in the event that:

11.1.1 The Grantee commits a Default;

11.1.2 The Scottish Ministers consider that any change or departure from the purposes for which theGrant was awarded warrants an alteration in the amount of the Grant;

11.1.3 The Grantee fails to carry out the Project;

11.1.4 In the Scottish Ministers’ opinion, the progress on the Project is not satisfactory;

11.1.5 In the Scottish Ministers’ opinion, the future of the Project is in jeopardy; or

11.1.6 In the Scottish Ministers’ opinion, the Grant is likely to bring the reputation of the Scottish Ministers into disrepute

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.