A Deeside businessman has revealed he has been forced to live in a caravan due to the lack of affordable housing available in the area.
Adam Taylor is among the 14,000 people on Aberdeenshire Council’s housing waiting list, which the Press and Journal revealed last week could take more than a decade to clear at its current rate – with just 997 homes being allocated last year.
The problem is particularly bad in areas such as Fraserburgh, Peterhead and Huntly.
But last night Mr Taylor claimed there was a lack of affordable housing in Braemar – leaving him with no choice but to sleep in a caravan, while his wife Stacey stays in the hotel she works at in Ballater.
The pair – who split up but have since reconciled – are both on the waiting list, but Mr Taylor admitted he was not optimistic they would be allocated a home from the council or a housing association.
The 34-year-old, who owns the Hunger Highlander takeaway in Braemar, said: “Finding any housing here is impossible.
“My wife has been on the waiting list for several months and just doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere.
“We split up but are now back together. She’s staying in the hotel she works at and I’m in a caravan, which isn’t big enough for the two of us.
“I own my own business in Braemar, so I can’t go anywhere else, but I’ve not been trading a year yet so I can’t get a mortgage.”
Mr Taylor claimed that there were plenty of holiday homes in the area, but called for more affordable housing.
“No wonder people are moving away from the area,” he said.
Last night, a spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council said an assessment on the demand for housing in Deeside was carried out last year, focusing on Braemar.
He said: “It was found that supply met recorded demand.
“Braemar is one of 130 pressured area designated sites in Aberdeenshire. There are plans for further units in Braemar including a number which will be available through low-cost home ownership.”
The local authority’s head of housing Douglas Edwardson added: “People will often sympathise with individual and emotive cases.
“The reality in Aberdeenshire is that supply is inadequate to meet demand for housing. We currently have 14,000 applicants on our waiting list with a significant number of people and households presenting to the council as homeless.
“We are working hard with private developers, the Scottish Government and registered social landlords to increase the amount of affordable housing in Aberdeenshire and to reduce the amount of time people have to wait for a house.”