Highland housing listings surge as sector grapples with high building costs and tight supply of homes – West Highland Free Press – www.whfp.com

The outgoing interim chief executive of Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association has “never seen” such long waiting lists in his 40 years in the sector.

Alastair MacGregor, who will step down from the role at the end of next month after serving since February, has commented on the recent launch of the Highland Housing Challenge by Highland Council.

He said Free press: “The council will have its own reasons for not calling this an emergency, but that is what it is.

“At the end of March, there were 6,101 people on the waiting list for housing in the Highlands and 2,517 on the transfer list.

“Having worked in the housing sector since 1984, in both urban and rural Scotland, I have never come across anything like this.”

Mr MacGregor, who lives near Oban, started his housing career at Linthouse Housing Association in Glasgow before joining Queens Cross Housing Association where he was chief executive for 15 years.

In 2005 he took up the position of Chief Executive of Argyll Community Housing Association, a position he held until 2022.

During his career in housing he also sat on the boards of a number of housing bodies including Glasgow Housing Association and the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations.

He took over the LSHA following the sudden departure of Neil Clapperton.

Full-time CEO Lowri Richards will step into the role in her own right at the end of next month.

Commenting further on the waiting lists and people transferred from Highland, he said: “These figures only relate to local authority and housing association tenancy lists.

“Those who cannot access private rental properties or obtain affordable mortgages are contributing to the housing crisis.

“We are living through a perfect storm of falling supply of affordable rental housing, an increase in Airbnb bed and breakfasts which also reduces private supply, mortgage defaults due to the cost of living crisis, and a housing sector struggling to provide material and human resources.

“In the face of the crisis, the Scottish Government is cutting social housing by 26 per cent and blaming it on Westminster, who in turn blame the Scottish Government.

“Meanwhile, our youth live in caravans and sleep on floors while politicians argue with each other about whose fault it is.

“Our new prime minister said that the first responsibility of the state is to protect its citizens. The second should be to provide citizens with adequate housing.

“It’s not a question of resources – it’s a question of priorities.”

Mr MacGregor added: “There has been much discussion within the Scottish National Party about why we lost the last election.

“Some say they have lost sight of such important issues as housing.

“I agree with it.

“Last month I attended the opening of six affordable homes on Raasay for young people – the lifeblood of our future.

“This should be a priority for the Scottish Government going forward.

“It is time for the National Housing Plan to be properly funded and prioritised to deliver housing – the base of the human pyramid – at the right level.”

As part of its housing challenges, the council has set a series of “strategic targets to address” the need to build 24,000 new homes over the next 10 years, around twice the normal number.

The council said: “The future housing demand is based on an updated 10-year housing demand assessment, which includes economic modelling based on the potential job growth associated with the development of the Green Freeport in Inverness and Cromarty Firth.”

Article by Michael Russell