The purpose of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) is to show how affordable housing need and priorities identified in the Local Housing Strategy will be tackled.
The emphasis is on how projects will be delivered with regard to available resources, partnership working and development constraints.
Key issues to note include:
-
Housing needs assessment indicates a requirement for an additional 145 affordable housing units annually over the next 10 years.
-
A community care housing needs assessment is to be undertaken to help future planning.
-
The Housing Partnership Development Programme with Communities Scotland includes six projects totalling over 150 dwellings at various locations across the Council area where tender approval is anticipated before the end of financial year 2007–08.
-
A further two projects comprising over 40 dwellings may also receive tender approval, subject to other statutory approvals.
-
A range of other new projects will be explored as part of the SHIP process.
-
In total, over 30 projects comprising around 700 dwellings are being explored over the period 2008–12 to determine development potential and viability.
-
Based on current levels of funding it is assumed that total grant allocations over the period of the SHIP may be in the region of £30m.
-
It is intended that there should be sufficient development projects in the SHIP programme to fully utilise available resources.
-
Ten different RSLs and other providers are currently involved in housing partnership activity in the Council area.
-
Land availability is a significant constraint on affordable housing supply.
-
Other development constraints comprise flood risks, infrastructure provision, contaminated land, open space requirements, undermining, access issues and Local Plan zoning.
-
The development of a delivery mechanism for the Council's Affordable Housing Policy is a priority for attention.