This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Highland Council to suspend right to buy for some tenants
15/11/2005
Ministers today agreed with Highland Council that a large part of the local authority area was 'pressured' for the purposes of the Right to Buy.
This means that some tenants within the designated areas identified by the Council will have the Right to Buy their rented council house suspended for five years.
The Pressured Area option was introduced in 2001 to assist councils facing particular local pressures. It helps keep local communities viable by enabling councils to retain homes for affordable rent for people on low incomes.
The suspension of Right to Buy only applies to tenancies which commenced either on or after 30 September 2002.
Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"The pressured area mechanism is one of a number of tools available to local authorities to address any affordable housing issues within their own areas.
"Housing pressures vary across Scotland and it is up to individual councils to consider whether it is appropriate to apply.
"Highland Council presented a convincing case in support of their application. There is compelling evidence of substantial pressures on affordable housing in the areas they identified.
"The Executive fully recognises that affordable housing is a crucial factor in sustaining local communities. That is why we are this year investing a record pound97 million to provide good quality affordable housing across rural Scotland.
"This designation does not signal any change in our Right to Buy policy. The pressured area mechanism has been available to local authorities for four years.
"The Executive recognises that there are strong views about Right to Buy but we will consider the case for further change only when we have seen the evidence that will be collected on the effect of the policy and reported to Parliament next year."
The pressured area designation applies throughout Badenoch and Strathspey, Skye and Lochalsh and Nairn, and across much of Inverness, Fort William, Lochaber, Easter Ross and Wester Ross. No areas in Caithness or Sutherland are affected. It is estimated that designation may prevent 570 potential sales, based on past trends, with an overall total of 2,039 tenancies being affected.
The pressured area designation granted to Highland Council lasts for five years.
1,970 Highland Council tenancies are affected immediately, as well as 69 housing association tenancies.
Highland Council did not apply for designation of any areas in Caithness and Sutherland. The following areas have been designated as pressured areas, under section 61B of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987:
- Badenoch and Strathspey;
- Rural Inverness, Inverness Town and Culloden (but not Merkinch and not Hilton);
- Rural Lochaber (but not Kinlochleven);
- Fort William (but not Plantation and not the following three streets within Claggan: (1) Carn Dearg, (2) The Corries and (3) Polmona);
- Nairn town and rural Nairnshire;
- Easter Ross (but not Alness, not Balintore and not Milton);
- Wester Ross (but not Aultbea); and
- Skye and Lochalsh.
The first pressured area designation was granted last month to East Renfrewshire Council for the 'Eastwood' part of its area, for five years.
Right to Buy changed significantly when the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 reduced and capped discount levels, extended the qualifying period to five years and introduced the pressured area mechanism. The legislation also requires Scottish Ministers to report to Parliament on the effect of the Right to Buy by September 30 2006. The preparatory work for that evidence-based report is underway. Ministers have made clear that they will not consider the case for any further adjustments to the Right to Buy in advance of the report.