Councillors have approved a £166 million investment in housing at a meeting of East Ayrshire’s cabinet.
Up to 662 additional affordable homes could be provided across the region as part of the East Ayrshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP).
Approval was also given for the council’s Housing Improvement Programme (HIP) with energy efficiency at the heart of plans to improve more than 1,000 council houses every year in East Ayrshire.
Over the next five years, £34 million will be invested in the SHIP and £132 million will be invested in the HIP.
The council’s housing building programme has the potential to have a “significant impact on communities across East Ayrshire” by providing safe, secure and affordable homes for local people which can reduce health inequalities, tackle child poverty and enable people to become actively involved in community life.
Alongside partnerships with Registered Social Landlords, East Ayrshire’s SHIP will see the construction of new affordable housing as well as the acquisition of affordable homes.
In the last year, Wallace Court in Mauchline welcomed new tenants, providing 13 assisted living flats, six of which are designed to meet the needs of wheelchair users.
A further 101 affordable homes at Bridgehousehill Road, in Kilmarnock, were completed in July by Cunninghame Housing Association and at Kennedy Drive, also Kilmarnock, 48 homes are due to be completed in the coming weeks.
Councillor Douglas Reid, leader of East Ayrshire Council said: “When we talk about local housing we need to look beyond the bricks and mortar. Having access to a safe, secure, and affordable home is essential to the health and wellbeing of our communities and helps to create better neighbourhoods, a greater sense of community and contributes to local regeneration.
“Our housing investment has created local jobs, improved community wellbeing and helped our children and young people to thrive – indeed we currently have around 45 apprentices employed across a range of construction trades within Housing Services as part of our own apprenticeship programme.
“The council as whole is facing significant financial challenges, but we are determined to deliver the best we can for our communities. Housing is a long-term investment and as we move forward, we will be looking closely at demographic projections for East Ayrshire to ensure that housing demand is fully assessed and that our plans are focused on investing in areas of need.
“As agreed by cabinet, we will lobby the Scottish and UK Governments for funding to address the depopulation of our rural areas and ensure that needs are met wherever possible.”
Cllr Jim McMahon, cabinet spokesperson for housing, transport and communities said: “Housing is a priority service that is facing an incredibly challenging time, bearing the consequences of the cost-of-living crisis, inflation and rising demand for affordable homes as landlords choose to sell their portfolios.
“As a council, we are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to a warm, affordable home in a community that they can feel part of and take pride in. Our housing investment programme is not just about the homes, it is about community and making positive change.”
Part of the HIP includes insulation works, external rendering and re-roofing for 400 homes per year.
The total investment includes £7million for new energy efficient windows and doors for 200 homes and over £17million for Grade A energy efficient heating systems for 800 homes each year of the programme.
Almost £50million will be invested in the installation of new kitchens and bathrooms and electrical upgrades, which equates to 680 homes a year, for each year of the programme.
A planned programme of cleaning and minor repair works to high-level gutters, rooflines and rainwater goods has been allocated £3.5million as part of the programme.
Cllr McMahon said: “Our HIP for 2025-2030 sets out how we are prioritising our investment in our existing housing stock, and it will ensure that our homes continue to perform well and meet the needs of our tenants.
“These housing investments are also playing a key part in helping us secure a greener future by creating net zero homes for local communities. Energy reduction for our tenants is a real priority and this work will also help us meet our wider climate change ambitions.
“The success of our housing initiatives hinges on effective consultation and engagement and we rely on local voices to shape our annual housing improvement programme. To this end, we work in partnership with the East Ayrshire Federation of Tenants and Residents and regularly consult with our tenants and local community groups.”
Cabinet also agreed to consult with tenants on rent increase proposals for 2025/26. Tenants will be presented with two proposals – an increase of 7-per cent, which is an average increase of £5.95 per week and an increase of 8-per cent, which would be an average increase of £6.80 per week.
The second proposal would allow for some additional 50 affordable new homes to be built within East Ayrshire. An extensive consultation will be undertaken with tenants prior to the festive period.
The council’s housing plans also reflect a commitment to supporting young people transitioning from a care setting to their own tenancy, as part of “The Promise”.
Introduced in 2020, Scotland’s promise to care experienced children and young people is that they will grow up loved, safe and respected.
East Ayrshire has adopted a multi-agency approach called Housing First which aims to provide a safe and settled base from which young people experiencing trauma can access support and meet health and wellbeing goals.
As part of this approach, since 2021, 10 furnished tenancies have been created in East Ayrshire with a further two in development, and wraparound support for tenants is delivered by Blue Triangle Housing Association Ltd.
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