Dundee Council’s five-year £65m investment recommended for approval

How the homes will look from the Fintry Drive / Finavon Street junction
New homes are planned on Fintry Drive by Abertay Housing Association

A £65 million investment to build hundreds of homes in targeted “priority” areas throughout Dundee is set to get the green light.

Dundee City Council’s neighbourhood services committee has been asked to approve the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP), which includes a council vision for the development of housing between 2017 and 2022

Over the next five years, the local authority plans to build 400 homes in the city by regenerating several “priority” areas in Dundee, including Hilltown, Whitfield, Lochee and the North West.

This includes projects in Alexander Street, Glamis Road, Kilbride Place and Mid Craigie, while by the end of 2017, developments in Mill o’ Mains and Dens Road are set to finish.

A total of £65m is set to be spent on housing — including £29.7m which has been made available through the Scottish Government Affordable Housing Programme — over this period.

The plan also highlights specialised areas where housing is needed, including for older people with housing care, those with learning difficulties, mental health issues, physical disabilities, wheelchair housing and young people.

The council’s neighbourhood services committee will meet to discuss the plan on Monday, where director of neighbourhood services, Elaine Zwirlein, has recommended it for approval.

She told the Evening Telegraph: “The plan is the key statement of affordable housing development priorities with the local authority area.

“The council and its partners continue to make good progress in delivering high-quality, energy-efficient, new-build social rented housing in the city.”

Derby Street
The council has approved plans to build 163 homes at Derby Street with Hillcrest Housing Association

Councillor John Alexander, the local authority’s housing convener, said he was “excited” by the plans and added: “Working with our housing associations partners, the number, range and quality of new-build social housing in the city is set to continue on its upward trend.

“Under the previous Labour-led administration, there were no council houses built in more than 20 years.

“Coupled with the right-to-buy, this reduced the number of council properties available and that is the legacy we were left.

“However, I’m pleased the end of the right-to-buy will prevent further reductions to our council house number and combined with our rapidly increasing new-build programme, we will see an increase in the properties available in Dundee.

“In the next year, we’ll see 217 new-build properties completed in addition to hundreds more starting the same year.

“On Derby Street alone, we are building 163 new properties in partnership with Hillcrest Housing Association.

“I am regularly in discussion with the Scottish Government about delivering more council and social housing.

“I have continual dialogue with the minister for housing, Kevin Stewart.

“The government has committed to building 50,000 new social units over the next few years.

“I want to help them meet that target and I’m working on putting Dundee at the front of the queue for any additional resources.”

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