Feughdee West Community Council
PRESENTATION NOTES of meeting with Emma Binns:
Aberdeenshire Rural Housing Enabler on Thursday 29th October 2009.
Miss Binns was invited to attend the meeting to inform the Community Council and members of the public about her involvement in Rural Housing. She works for the Rural Housing Service which is a small charity working alongside Aberdeenshire Council and the Cairngorms National Park Authority and with outside organisations, individuals, landlords and estate owners. The Rural Housing Service provides support and research into rural housing needs and carries out surveys to ascertain need. The service helps to form partnerships with providers and assists families to find land and grants for self build projects.
Grants are available for rural home ownership up to 33% and are aimed at local people particularly first time buyers.
Grants are available under the Empty Property Initiative for individuals who own property suitable for conversion to subsequently be let by private landlord as rural housing.
In addition the LIFT scheme:
1. works with Housing Associations
2. open market shared equity scheme
Miss Binns informed the meeting that Strachan was a classic village in need of rural housing. She agreed that a housing need survey would be carried out and sought support from the Community Council. It was agreed that the Council would support a survey of the whole area covered by Feughdee West Community Council and that survey forms and advertising would be carried out in conjunction with the local newsletter and website. It was also agreed that a sub-committee be set up to liaise with Miss Binns and to finanlise the arrangements.
Miss Binns also agreed to attempt to expedite completion of the low cost housing already scheduled to be built as part of the planning consent in Strachan.
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