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Housing

One of the Pairc Trust's key priorities is to reverse a century of population decline in South Lochs. One of the key pillars of this strategy is to aid in the provision of good quality, affordable housing for residents of the Estate. We aim to do this by bringing empty properties back into use and also by exploring housing development options on new sites.

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One of the first projects to begin with after the buyout in December 2015, was to conduct a Housing Needs Survey in Pairc. The Trust conducted a house-to-house consultation, which ensured a good response rate to our survey to identify what sort of accommodation people would like to see developed.

An old property, in need of renovation.

TIGH CEILIDH, GRAbhaiR

In 2023, the Pairc Trust purchased the Tigh Ceilidh in Gravir from Pairc Community Council. The Trust is working to renovate the existing empty property into affordable housing in partnership with Tighean Innse Gall. The Trust is currently applying for funding to progress this project beyond the initial feasibility study - more news to come!

CARN AONGHAIS, GRAbhaiR

A number of steps were taken to reach completion of the renovation of the Care Unit in Gravir into two energy efficient affordable homes in 2019. First a Housing Needs Analysis was carried out in 2016, funded by the Muaitheabhal Community Windfarm trust, to identify that there was a lack of rented accommodation in Pairc and that demand existed. The Trust then purchased the old Care Unit in Gravir from the Comhairle, with help from the Scottish Land Fund and Highlands & Islands Enterprise and brought it back to life as 2 warm and energy efficient new homes, to rent at an affordable rate. The renovations were completed in 2019 with tenants moving into the homes soon after. The renovation work was funded by the Rural Housing Island’s Fund, Outer Hebrides LEADER and the Western Isles Development Trust, and carried out by local firm O’Mac Construction. Tighean Innse Gall supported the Pairc Trust as project managers and now act as the letting agent.

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Once again, we are hugely grateful to all our funders who have supported us in this project: The Scottish Government through the Rural Housing Fund, the European Community Outer Hebrides LEADER 2014-2020 Programme, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Muaitheabhal Community Wind Farm Trust and the Western Isles Development Trust.

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HOUSING STUDY, HABOST

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In 2016 the Pairc Trust asked the community to help us create a Housing Needs Analysis. The findings from the study showed that the local community is very supportive of a small development of affordable housing in the estate, either to rent or to buy. There was also a desire to bring empty properties back into use, which resulted in the renovation of the Gravir Care Unit by the Pairc Trust in 2019 creating 2 new energy efficient, affordable homes for rent.

The Trust has been involved in discussions with the Hebridean Housing Partnership (HHP) and the Comhairle since 2017 about building new social housing in Pairc. In 2018 the Trust identified 8 potential sites (in Lemreway, Gravir, Kershader & Habost) but they were considered too expensive to pursue. The Trust does not aim to displace the HHP responsibility to provide social housing and will continue to encourage them to build in Pairc.

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Following a careful review by the Trust one site in Habost stood out as being particularly easy to develop. The site we identified in Habost has:

  • Land outside of crofting tenure, ready & quick to develop

  • A known value for purchase from Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE)

  • Appeal to people in both Pairc & Kinloch

  • Utility connections close by, facilities at Ravenspoint nearby and is on the main bus route.

 

The Habost site was therefore chosen as the preferred option for the Pairc Trust to investigate in more detail.

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Tighean Innse Gall have now produced a feasibility study on whether this site adjacent to the Habost industrial units is suitable for a small housing development. â€‹

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The full study produced by TIG is available to download here.

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