Category: Community news

Leading developer of mid-market rent (MMR) homes across the Highlands, HHA, will take handover of seven homes in Aviemore that are solely available for local key workers.

Located at the Tulloch Homes Bynack More development, seven three-bedroom family homes will be available to rent at MMR tenure from October 2024. MMR is priced typically lower than private rent and slightly higher than affordable housing.  

Delivered with more than £500,000 funding support from the Scottish Government via its Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund, the Highland Council and Inverness and Highland City Region Deal, the homes will be allocated to key workers. This includes emergency services staff, healthcare professionals, care workers and teachers.

Importantly, this will help to ensure that key workers have exclusive access to high-quality and fairly priced homes, retaining a skilled workforce in the local community. Now under HHA’s ownership, HHA will manage the allocation of the homes and applications are now open. 

The spacious three-bedroom family homes feature open-plan living and kitchen spaces with private garden space. Located in the heart of Aviemore, residents are close to a range of local amenities, including the retail park, train station, and local primary and secondary schools.

Gail Matheson, CEO at HHA, said: “It is vital that local people in rural communities, like Aviemore, have access to modern and fairly priced rental accommodation otherwise we risk pushing
skilled workers away from the region. Rural communities need schools, healthcare services and social care support, and HHA is proud to offer homes exclusively for professionals working in these sectors.

“Enabled with funding support from Scottish Government, the Highland Council and City Region Deal, we’re looking forward to welcoming our new tenants over the coming weeks.”

Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: “Good quality housing is essential to attract and retain people in our rural communities. Supported by over £0.5 million, from the Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund, these homes will have such a positive impact on the community in Aviemore, supporting business and providing affordable homes to families.

“We will continue to focus on boosting affordable housing supply, investing over £600 million this financial year, to deliver more high quality, permanent homes, in the right place for everyone. 

“Working with partners, such as Highland Council and HHA, demand led funds such as this and the £30 million Rural and Island Housing Fund, help address specific rural housing need.”

In a separate deal with Tulloch Homes, HHA will take handover of 41 apartments at the Bynack More development in early 2025. Responding to the growing demand for flats in the region, the HHA homes will be available at mid-market rent, complementing its existing portfolio. 

HHA has taken handover of eight homes at The Maples in Inverness, eight in Highland View, Kirkhill, and four in Aviemore. The homes are all available at mid-market rent, which is priced typically lower than private rent and slightly higher than affordable housing.

In total, the partnership will deliver 75 new rental homes for Highland communities. This includes 45 in Aviemore, featuring a high-quality mix of two-bedroom apartments and cottage flats, and 22 in Inverness, including a mix of two- and three-bedroom homes. Located on the outskirts of Inverness, the picturesque village of Kirkhill now features eight new MMR homes, including two and three-bedroom properties.

With the first 20 homes now complete, the construction of the remaining 55 homes will continue over the next 18 months, with phased move-in dates for residents expected until late 2025. The £15 million HHA and Tulloch Homes partnership has been supported by funding from the Scottish Government, the Highland Council, and the City Region Deal.

In a separate contract with Tulloch Homes, HHA has also taken handover of six new homes at the Pinefield housing development, Carrbridge. In addition to the MMR homes, the wider development will feature social housing managed by The Highland Council and homes available for private sale.

Gillian Cain has recently moved into a HHA home at the Pinefield development with her partner and two young children. After renting privately for years, Gillian applied to rent with HHA and was delighted when she was allocated a brand new home at the highly sought after development.

Gillian said: “Finding suitable and fairly priced rental accommodation in Carrbridge has been challenging for some years now. Applying to rent with HHA was straightforward and I couldn’t be any happier with my new home, it’s spacious and modern, and importantly the wider development is family friendly and safe.

“I wok in a local primary school and homes are important to ensure services and local businesses can survive. Whilst Carrbridge is small, we attract a lot of tourists throughout the year given its wonderful, picturesque setting, but we need people living here to make it a viable tourist destination.”

Gail Matheson, CEO at HHA, said: “There remains significant pressure on the rental market across the Highlands, with the Scottish Government’s declaration of a national housing emergency underlining the urgency for more homes. For every home HHA has available, we attract between 80 and 100 applicants. This is the highest demand we have ever experienced.

“Our partnership with Tulloch Homes has introduced MMR homes at landmark developments, enhancing tenure options for local people and we’re really pleased to already hear from our tenants about how much they are enjoying their new homes.

“The delivery of high-quality yet well-priced new homes must be prioritised across the region, especially as we anticipate more people looking for homes in the area, with the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport anticipated to create more than 10,000 new jobs.”