The Scottish Government's Rural Homes for Rent Pilot Scheme funds additional new-build affordable housing for affordable rent in rural Scotland. Grant funding is targeted at landowners in pressured rural housing markets where registered social landlords have been constrained in meeting local housing and homelessness need.
The Scottish Government received 67 initial expressions of interest to participate in the scheme from landowners across 16 local authority areas. Following assessment for eligibility, 49 applications were shortlisted and invited to submit detailed proposals of which 25 were received.
The proposals received sought grant funding totalling over £11 million to provide a potential 166 new houses. This meant the pilot scheme was over-subscribed, and the Scottish Government could not support all applications which met its criteria within the available budget of £5 million.
The submissions have been subject to an assessment by the Scottish Government in consultation with the relevant local authorities. As a result it is supporting 12 pilot projects which require grant support of almost £5 million to provide 75 new properties for rent in rural Scotland.
Details of the successful applications are now available.
Successful applicants should contact their local Housing Investment Division office (details on this page) to discuss the next steps and any outstanding issues. In due course formal offers of grant will be issued.
The current funding round is now closed. Details of the arrangements for a further funding round will be issued at a later date.
In the meantime the Scottish Government's Housing Investment Guidance Note HIGN 2008/04 remains available.
A model Tenancy Agreement and associated Guidance Note is also available, along with a model Nominations Agreement and an Allocations Policy.
Help
Questions regarding the outcome of your detailed submission should be referred to your local contact provided in your notification letter. If your enquiry is of a more general nature please contact Craig Stewart on 0131 479 5087 or Craig.Stewart@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Scottish Rural Property & Business Association (SRPBA) members can get help by contacting Sarah-Jane Laing at the SRPBA on 0131 653 5400 or housingstrategy@srpba.com or at www.srpba.com
Assistance is also available from Derek Logie at the Rural Housing Service on 01361 884 698 or Derek@ruralhousingscotland.org or via www.ruralhousingscotland.org.