By Aileen Maclennan and Bill Heaney
The revised plans, which councillors agreed at a meeting of the Council , could see 106 new affordable homes delivered in 2023/24 and over 1,000 homes in the years ahead.
The proposals are outlined in the latest update to the SHIP, which sets out the area’s priorities for housing development for the next five years.
The plan works in tandem with the area’s Local Housing Strategy (LHS) and outlines how the council and its key partners propose to deliver high quality housing which meets the needs of communities across Argyll and Bute, setting out the main priorities for affordable housing and identifying the resources required.
A primary focus for the new SHIP has been continued engagement with the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to ensure adequate specialist provision is included in the new build programme.
“Long-term investment in affordable housing is an essential ingredient in our overall aspiration to create prosperous local communities where quality homes are available to all. At the same time, we recognise the challenges that the housing sector is facing and the fact that the demand for social housing will potentially increase further in the years ahead.
“The plan outlines our commitment to work with all our strategic partners to ensure that we deliver homes which meet the needs of our communities and help to further enhance Argyll and Bute’s appeal as a great place to live and work.”
Meanwhile, councillors have approved plans to boost Argyll and Bute’s economy by bringing empty business properties back into use throughout the area.
Previously, empty industrial properties could get 100% relief from non-domestic rates for the first six months they lay vacant and a 10% discount after that. Businesses could get 100% relief for the whole time a property was unoccupied if they met a range of criteria.
However, by implementing new powers on the levels of relief available to empty business premises, councillors have agreed a number of changes to the scheme, including the following provisions:
- 50% relief for three months followed by 10% thereafter, except for Empty Property Relief (EPR) for insolvency. No relief will be granted after a property has been empty for over 12 months.
- Creation of a new post of Empty Property Officer for a period of two years, providing a single point of contact for the council with property owners and helping to coordinate activity across the region.
- The remaining Property Relief funding will go towards a Business Grant Scheme which will incentivise owners to carry out building works, internal decoration and improvements to fixtures and fittings, helping to bring properties back into use
In 2019, the Scottish Government committed to devolving EPR to councils in time for the next revaluation. However, both the revaluation and the devolution of EPR were delayed because of the pandemic.
A consultation carried out earlier this year with a range of stakeholders, including members of the public, property owners, community organisations and elected members, delivered valuable feedback on a range of issues.
Councillor Robin Currie, said: “This new policy is designed to maximise the use of these funds to revitalise properties across our communities.
“By bringing empty buildings back into use, there is real potential to create increased footfall in our town centres, create job opportunities, identify possible affordable housing and enhance the look and feel of community environments.
“The consultation provided valuable insights into both the challenges and opportunities around vacant properties in Argyll and Bute. The creation of a dedicated post of Empty Property Officer was a key element of the feedback received and will be a major benefit in improving communications with property owners.
“The overwhelming desire from stakeholders was for properties to be brought back into use to help revitalise our town centres and benefit communities across the region.”
Argyll and Bute councillors have approved proposals to tackle the area’s housing emergency by using new Scottish Government powers on Council Tax charges.
The move comes in response to a recent Scottish Government consultation that included a proposal that would enable local authorities to charge a double Council Tax on second homes and long-term empty properties.
The proposal suggests implementing the double Council Tax charge for second homes from 1 April 2024 – a move that would help mitigate the housing crisis in Argyll and Bute and encourage second homeowners in the area to either sell or rent their properties.
The number of second homes in Argyll and Bute has increased from 3,045 in 2022/23 to 3,235 in 2023/24 and a review of self-catering units in Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) is expected to further increase these numbers in the coming year.
There are also around 1,300 long-term empty properties in Argyll and Bute.
In Wales, local authorities have had the power to increase Council Tax on second homes by up to 300% since April 2023 and there are reports that the move has increased the number of properties on the market for sale.
Councillor Robin Currie, said: “With the number of second homes on the rise in Argyll and Bute, this proposed change to Council Tax could have a significant impact on the housing emergency in our communities by encouraging owners of second homes to consider either selling or renting out their properties.
“A Joint Working Group on Council Tax and Local Government funding is currently reviewing all the feedback from the Scottish Government’s consultation and assessing the potential implications, but our view is that this move would be a major factor in helping to tackle the area’s housing crisis.”
“The SNP’s failure to use the opportunities of the rent freeze to act on the big problems in our housing sector has failed Scots.
“Private rents have risen year on year, wages have stagnated and the cost of living continues to bite.
“Scots are being forced to spend more and more of their hard-earned income just to have somewhere to live – and this is not good enough.
“A year on from the rent freeze, the SNP has failed to tackle the sky-high rents Scots face when starting a new lease. Scotland’s housing emergency will be ended through building more homes across all tenures. The SNP and the Greens must face up to reality and declare a housing emergency in Scotland.”