Strategic Housing Investment Plan guidance 2025 MHDGN 2025/01

The role of a Strategic Housing Investment Plan

A Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) is an important document which sets out local authority strategic investment priorities for housing over a 5-year period, specifically affordable housing and Gypsy/Traveller accommodation, with these strategic investment priorities being aligned with the priorities and outcomes set out in a LHS.

Specifically, the SHIP is the key document for identifying:

• proposed strategic affordable housing projects which require Scottish Government Affordable Housing Supply Programme funding support. Local authorities are encouraged to read the Affordable Housing Supply Programme: process and procedures guidance for local authorities and registered social landlords (and any subsequent updates to this) as this includes information on the types of project that can be delivered by these organisations with grant support through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme
• proposed Gypsy/Traveller accommodation projects. Supplementary guidance will be provided in Summer 2025 for Gypsy/Traveller projects as the transition is made to funding these from Resource Planning Assumptions (RPAs) under the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP).
• Proposed affordable housing projects which are to be provided without Scottish Government Affordable Housing Supply Programme funding support (for example, funded directly by the local authority).

The SHIP is therefore an operational rather than policy document and:

• reflects and aligns with the housing policies and outcomes set out in each local authority’s LHS and LHS Outcome Action Plan;
• reinforces the role of the local authority as the strategic housing authority;
• informs Scottish Government investment decisions; and
• informs the preparation of a Strategic Local Programme Agreement that sets out the planned programme across the local authority and, where required, informs the preparation of Programme Agreements to individual providers setting out their planned programme.

All local authorities are required to prepare an annual SHIP in collaboration with local housing delivery partners.