A development on the Isle of Raasay near Skye has broken ground, offering local people a chance to access an affordable new home. The five community-led and five affordable self build plots will offer much needed new housing, linked to people living and working on the island, a model that offers a solution to other rural communities elsewhere.
The Raasay Development Trust is heading up the project, with the five affordable self-build plots discounted using Scotland’s Rural Housing Burden, while the remaining homes are split between community-owned homes for affordable rent and social rent homes, which are managed by the Lochalsh & Skye Housing Association.
The Rural Housing Burden is Scottish planning tool to support rural communities with housing, by guaranteeing that the affordability remains in perpetuity when homes are resold. To further support affordability, the plots on the site are smaller than open-market plots on the island.
The mix of house types and tenures is designed to support local people who want to remain on the island to live and work, feeding into the local community.
The Communities Housing Trust is supporting Raasay Development Trust, with the community-owned site purchased with funding from the Scottish Land Fund in 2020, with further funding from the Scottish Government’s Rural & Islands Housing Fund, and Ecology Building Society.
Anyone interested in the plots should register with the Communities Housing Trust, with the Raasay Development Trust managing the allocations process for plots and homes.
Chair of Raasay Development Trust, Iain Hector Ross, said: “Raasay has a clear and present need for new affordable housing stock to meet the growing demand from young islanders choosing to stay and others wanting to move to the island for increasing work opportunities.
“We are fortunate that the island is enjoying an era of growing economic confidence and opportunity, where young people now see a long-term future for themselves here. Quality housing is vital to support that future and we hope that the delivery of these new homes is just the first step towards providing every young islander with an affordable option.”
Jon Lee, community housing lead at Ecology Building Society, said: “We’re excited once again to work alongside the other funders to support this development on Raasay. Providing funding for affordable, energy efficient, community-led housing and to encourage sustainable self-build particularly chimes with our mission to build a greener society.”
Image: Raasay Development Trust director Ali MacInnes marks the start on site
