Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund and rural housing figures: FOI release

Information requested

(1) Since the start of 2024 how many homes have been secured through the Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund?

(2) Since 2016 how much has the Scottish Government invested in rural housing?

Response

1. I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested in the format you asked for.

2. With regards to point (1) the answer to your question is that since the start of 2024, 14 homes have been approved through the Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund. Of these, 7 are in Highland, 4 are in Orkney, 2 in Moray and 1 in Arran, North Ayrshire.

Affordable Housing Supply Programme

3. With regards to point (2), some of the information you have requested is available from rural spend in the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) in the outturn reports. From 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2022 this information can be found at the following links:

a. 1 April 2016 – 31 March 2017: Affordable Housing Supply Programme: Out-turn report 2016-2017 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Table 10 on page 17 contains a breakdown of spend and number of units delivered in rural areas.

b. 1 April 2017 – 31 March 2018: Affordable Housing Supply Programme: out-turn report 2017-2018 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Table 10 on page 18 contains a breakdown of spend and number of units delivered in rural areas.

c. 1 April 2018 – 31 March 2019: Affordable Housing Supply Programme: out-turn report 2018-2019 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Table 12 on page 22 contains a breakdown of spend and number of units delivered in rural areas.

d. 1 April 2019 – 31 March 2020: Affordable-Housing-Supply Programme: out-turn report 2019-2020 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Tables 14a and 14b on page 27 contain a breakdown of spend and number of units delivered in rural areas.

e. 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021: Affordable Housing Supply Programme: out-turn report 2020-2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Tables 15a and 15b of the annex in the supporting documents contain a breakdown of spend and number of units delivered in rural areas.

f. 1 April 2021 – 31 March 2022: Affordable Housing Supply Programme: out-turn report 2021-2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Tables 13a and 13b of the annex in the supporting documents contain a breakdown of spend and number of units delivered in rural areas.

4. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

5. Rural spend in the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) from 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023 and from 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024 has not yet been published. The provisional rural spend from 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023 is £160,725,000. The provisional rural spend from 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024 is £184,071,000.

6. Between 2016-2017 and 2020-2021 figures include core-AHSP rural spend and spend through the Rural and Islands Housing Fund but does not include spend through other central programmes such as OMSE, HOSF, LAR and PfP Capital. From 2021-2022 onwards all AHSP spend, through core and central programmes classified as rural, has been included.

7. In 2016-2017 we used the Scottish Government two-fold Urban/Rural Classification which classified homes as either urban or rural. From 2017-2018 onwards we have used the Scottish Government six-fold Urban/Rural Classification. Using this classification, we have included spend associated with rural homes which were classified in categories 4 (Remote Small Towns), 5 (Accessible Rural) and 6 (Remote Rural) in the financial year that spend was recorded.

8. Outwith the demand-led £30 million Rural and Islands Housing Fund and £25 million Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund, funding is not ringfenced for either urban or rural areas. Resource planning assumptions are allocated using the Strategic Housing Investment Framework agreed with COSLA and used to support the delivery of local authority strategic housing priorities. For analysis purposes projects may be recorded as rural or urban based on population and accessibility data and according to definitions set out in published guidance.

Croft House Grant Scheme

9. In terms of other areas of investment in rural housing, since 2016 £11,681,991 has been awarded through the Croft House Grant scheme, helping to build and improve 367 croft houses.

Energy Efficiency and Fuel Poverty Schemes

10. In terms of investment in energy efficiency methods, funding for energy efficiency and renewable schemes is not allocated on an urban/rural basis. Local schemes to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency are delivered by councils and funded through our Area Based Schemes programme. Details of the annual grant allocations and outturns for each council as part of our Area Based Schemes programme since 2013 are published on the Scottish Government website: Area-based schemes - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

Islands Programme Capital Funding Scheme

11. Our Islands Programme capital funding scheme – established in 2021-2022 – has supported some projects linked to rural housing development. Last year, for instance, Scottish Government awarded £700,000 to Argyll and Bute Council to deliver site infrastructure at phase 1 of the workers’ accommodation project in Tobermory.

Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme

12. From the Vacant and Derelict Land investment Programme, £400,000 was awarded to the Cromlet project in Invergordon. This funding will support the remediation of Cromlet site, a disused former military site which is centrally located within the town. Remediation of the site will support the development of 93 affordable homes which will contribute to managing significant local demand for housing.

Investing in Communities Fund Programme

13. From the Investing in Communities Fund programme for the 3 year period covering 2023-2026, the West Harris Trust has been awarded £86,212 for it’s Bail’ Ùr project. A Development Officer will work on identifying, developing and creating a site, Bail’ Ùr (‘new village’) that will form a new settlement of ten residential properties held under a mixture of tenures together with business spaces, childcare provision, horticulture and other elements that combine to form a new, modern ‘baile’ or ‘village’ within the West Harris Trust’s estate.

14. Additionally through the Investing in Communities Fund programme 2023-2026, Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust has been awarded £123,811 revenue, plus a capital element of £7,500 in order to support the reduction of fuel poverty on Eigg. Over three years, the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust will reduce the number of households in fuel poverty on the Isle of Eigg by 32% through this and wider ongoing projects. The project will also support the building and letting of two new energy efficient and zero-emission homes for affordable rent.

Strengthening Communities Programme

15. We invest £2.5-3 million per annum through the Strengthening Communities Programme (SCP), enabling community organisations to develop their role as a community anchor organisation. SCP has delivered resource funding to a number of organisations to support the delivery of rural housing as part of wider projects, including:

a. £171,000 to Roseneath Peninsula West Community Development;
b. £143,00 to Newcastleton & District Community Trust;
c. £143,600 to Radio City Association Garrnock Valley;
d. £100,936 to Cromarty Community Development Trust;
e. £104,564 to Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust;
f. £113,733 to Isle of Canna Development Trust;
g. £68,250 to Applecross Community Company;
h. £23,427 to Eday Partnership;
i. £62,220 to Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust;
j. £46,840 to Isle of Luing Community Trust;
k. £50,809 to Isle of Rum Community Trust;
l. £55,800 to Papay Development Trust;
m. £30,510 to Sanday Development Trust; and
n. £36,998 to Shapisay Development Trust.

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