Top Ten most read stories of 2021

It has been a challenging period and a busy news year for housing as SHN kept its readers up to date with events from across the social and affordable housing sector and beyond.

In a year dominated once again by the coronavirus, it is no surprise that restrictions introduced in January relating to tradesmen and tradeswomen entering private homes during lockdown was our most read article of 2021.

In a statement to the Scottish Parliament in January, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon outlined six areas where tougher rules were to be applied, with only laws on workers entering private homes having an impact on the housing sector.

North Lanarkshire Council features heavily with its town centre regeneration progress (2nd), Open Market Purchase Scheme (6th), downsizing incentives (8th) and new build housing milestones (10th) all making the list.

Away from the social housing sector, BBC Scotland’s search for Scotland’s Home of the Year, ultimately won by a Georgian renovation in rural Killearn, was the third best read story on our website.

The transformation of two former pub sites in Glasgow completed the top 5 with an appeal dismissed into plans to transform the fire-damaged Traders’ Tavern located in Stevenson Street (4th) joined by councillors recommending the approval of plans to demolish the building trading as Anne Millers to build new apartments (5th) – plans that were ultimately given the green light.

A house located on Earlsferry’s waterfront selling for £600,000 above the asking price (7th) and a nationwide media campaign to urge homeowners to install interlinked heat and smoke alarms before new fire safety laws come into effect next year (9th) make up the top ten.

These were the best read stories (and number of pages views) during the year:

1. Tougher restrictions in place for tradesmen entering private homes (13,977)
2. North Lanarkshire town centre housing projects move forward (6,692)
3. BBC Scotland begins search for Scotland’s Home of the Year (6,629)
4. Appeal dismissed into cafe and flats plan at Glasgow pub site (6,523)
5. Approval recommended for demolition of Glasgow pub (6,465)
6. North Lanarkshire Council celebrates successful milestone for buy back scheme (6,142)
7. Fife house sells for £600,000 (55%) over asking price (5,907)
8. North Lanarkshire Council approves home moving incentive scheme (5,616)
9. Campaign urges homeowners to install interlinked alarms ahead of rule change (4,511)
10. 800th tenant moves into new build council home in North Lanarkshire (4,295)

SHN will return with a full daily news service on January 5.