Last month, DTAS Debates welcomed members to discuss the undertaking of housing projects. Amid a national housing crisis, what is the role of Development Trusts in addressing the housing crisis in their communities?

With the colossal rises in property prices, short term lets and the huge increases in second home ownership across the country, communities are dealing firsthand with the harsh consequences of the shortage of affordable houses. DTAS members are listening to the concerns of their residents and are increasingly delivering solutions to alleviate these challenges.

The debate brought together a panel of DTAS members and academics: Dr Gareth James (the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing), Ewen Mclachlan (Assynt Development Trust), David Campbell (Shapinsay Development Trust) and Margaret Whitelaw (Lenzie Community Development Trust). This created a varied discussion, with the current Scottish Government housing policy explained with rural, urban and island case studies of community led housing initiatives. Each participant brought together a unique perspective, illustrating how the housing crisis has affected their communities and demographics.

Housing Emergencies and National Policy Dr. Gareth James gave background information to CaCHE, their areas of research and involvement as Cross-Party Group Secretariat for Housing. Gavin highlighted how a staggering 13 of 32 local authorities have declared housing emergencies in Scotland. He spelled out
that the rising pressure on homeless services, a dwindling supply on affordable housing and rent rises have all contributed to regional housing crises. In terms of current policy, the Housing Scotland Bill (at Stage 1 in Parliament) focuses on rent control and tenant rights.

Meanwhile, doubts linger over whether the Affordable Housing Supply Programme will meet its target of 110,000 new affordable homes between 2021-2032.

Barriers to Housing in Remote Scotland

Ewen McLachlan highlighted the acute housing issues in remote areas such as Assynt in the Northwest. With this region of Scotland suffering a severe depopulation crisis, Ewen presented the opportunity of building 1000 new homes across the Northwest Sutherland and Coigach in strengthening communities and stimulating local economies. At present, holiday rentals and Airbnbs price out locals of homes and local government housing investment is scarce compared to urban areas of the local authority. He argued, “We need government action to free up land, stop applying urban planning conditions to remote rural and island community led housing developments and allow our communities to thrive.”

Island Solutions and Successes

Davie focused on the benefits of community-led housing on the island of Shapinsay in Orkney. He put down a lot of the successes of housing on existing resources. The delivered projects have included renovation of homes, building of new homes and repurposing derelict properties for those who need it.

Having strong connections with farmers has allowed the Development Trust to use small plots of private land for developments. Similarly, working closely with contractors from mainland Orkney has allowed projects to go ahead smoothly.

Davie did acknowledge the benefits of having a supportive local authority: with allocated monies from second home taxes, the development trust is given extra resources to deliver projects. In turn, there are effective mechanisms in place from the council to ensure homes are allocated equitably among families, elderly residents and key workers. Whilst this is not the case for many local authority areas, it shows the power of effective partnerships possible with statutory powers. Davie stressed the need for successful relationship building, engaging the community and being proactive in identifying opportunities for home ownership and rental.

Urban Innovation to Housing Crises

Finally, Margaret presented Lenzie’s challenges with housing from an urban perspective, illustrating how higher land values and private developers are pricing residents out of the market. Especially with many older residents living alone, this has broken up residents’ ability to easily socialise and connect with their community.

She explained that Lenzie CDT are exploring Cohousing to address isolation, improve social care and help ease the area’s housing market. Cohousing communities are intentional communities, created and run by their residents.

Residents come together to manage their community, share activities, and regularly eat together. The development trust is currently in the process of acquiring an old school building for a project but is finding severe barriers to progress.

Strict housing regulations and a lack of available funding has meant Lenzie CDT has struggled to push through this innovative approach to housing. Scotland is an outlier in the UK, with just one cohousing project with England having over thirty successful projects.

Questions from the participants included the restraints of GDPR in Development Trusts identifying empty homes in their areas, the structural issues in pushing forward solutions to housing and the state of Scotland’s housing agencies with the closure of Rural Housing Scotland. Community benefit funding inequality was mentioned too in relation to the communities who have the capacity to deliver housing projects.

Closing Remarks

Davie called for a global toolbox approach to housing, drawing on shared learning and successful models from local, regional, and international contexts. He also highlighted the importance of partnership working, encouraging Development Trusts to link up with relevant organisations and sectors to combine resources and expertise.

Ewen emphasised the state’s capacity to rebuild housing stock, calling for sustained pressure on national and local governments to make meaningful investments.

Gareth argued for an emergency response to match the declared housing emergency, arguing that Scotland excels at creating policy but struggles with effective delivery. Additionally, he suggested that while there have been calls for a national housing body, it is essential to balance centralised resources with local autonomy, empowering grassroots communities to lead housing initiatives effectively.

Margaret urged councillors and decision-makers to adapt regulations and planning frameworks to accommodate innovative housing solutions. She also pointed out that while individuals within systems often recognise the benefits of novel approaches, structural barriers and rigid policies prevent progress.

If you would like to come along to our next DTAS Debate, on Wednesday the 19th of February, we will be discussing Community Engagement,

Representation and Inclusion in Development Trusts! You can sign up for this member-only event on our Eventbrite page now.