£83m Plan Hailed As ‘Housing Revolution’

More than £83 million is to be spent building almost 1,500 rental or low-cost houses in Glasgow. A total of 1,057 socially rented houses, 200 low-cost homes and 206 houses suitable for people with special needs will be created in the latest phase of the regeneration of Oatlands.

About £70 million will be spent on socially rented homes and £7.5 million will provide low-cost houses under the Homestake programme aimed at helping key workers such as nurses to buy their own homes. It is also targeted at other workers on low incomes to attract and retain people that Glasgow needs.

The £83 million has been allocated to Glasgow City Council by the Scottish Executive under the Affordable Housing Investment Programme. It represents a 14 per cent increase on the previous year’s allocation to the city of £70.7 million.

Council leader Steven Purcell said: “We’re delivering nothing short of a revolution in housing across the city. We’re doubling our investment in Homestake, whereby we’ll help ordinary working people – who perhaps can’t afford to buy a home in their community – on to the property ladder.

“This is an investment in the future, where we’re providing good quality homes, not only for those coming into the private market, but hundreds more which will improve the lives of elderly and disabled citizens.”

Work on regenerating Oatlands, near Gorbals, has begun. Hundreds of homes are being razed and replaced with new ones as part of a £190 million bid by Glasgow Housing Association to regenerate the area.

Although the council no longer maintains the city’s housing stock, the £83 million goes to it as the Strategic Housing Authority. The allocation will be disbursed via Communities Scotland and housing associations.

Visiting Oatlands yesterday, Rhona Brankin, the communities minister, said: “This isn’t just about bricks and mortar or a new skyline over the Clyde.” She said the allocation would help create “mixed, vibrant communities”.

Ms Brankin also brought news of an “early action fund” boost of £3 million for the newly formed Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company. The new body is expected bring investment of £1.6 billion and help provide up to 21,000 new jobs and 10,000 homes in deprived parts of south-east Glasgow and South Lanarkshire.

More than 2,000 acres of derelict and contaminated land will be brought back into use over 25 years. The Gateway, a partnership between the Executive, the city council, South Lanarkshire Council, Scottish Enterprise Network and Communities Scotland, has already promised that 500 acres will be regenerated within the next five years.

George Redmond, the chairman of Clyde Gateway, said: “We are transforming what was one of the most deprived areas in Scotland into a thriving community.”

Mr Purcell added: “Glasgow is enjoying a remarkable economic and social renaissance and I’m determined every part of the city will share in it.”

Part of the Clyde Gateway is the site of Glasgow’s bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.