Work is about to start on an affordable housing development in Lochaber.
The news that homes will be built in Fort William, Strontian, Caol and Kilchoan, was reported at the annual general meeting of Lochaber Housing Association (LHA).
It follows a financially challenging period which forced the association to take the difficult decision to stop building new properties.
Now, following a new partnership agreement with the Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust (HSCHT), the association’s affordable housing development programme will get underway again.
LHA chairman Di Alexander said: “Since last year, the association’s board and management team have been working very hard to establish a viable means of getting new build affordable housing provision going again in Lochaber.
“This work has included extensive discussions with key partners including the Highland Council, the Scottish Government and city lending institutions.
“These efforts have resulted – I am delighted to say – in the association’s board agreeing to re-establish a new build development programme, albeit on a modest scale, in partnership with The Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust.”
He added: “We have always worked closely with HSCHT in trying to develop and deliver innovative solutions to the affordable housing shortage in Lochaber.
“This has been particularly true over the past three years whilst we have been unable to be a direct provider of social housing ourselves.
“This partnership approach has helped HSCHT to build some affordable houses for rent and low cost home ownership in several rural communities in Lochaber, where the association has made available sites that it owns.
“The success of this partnership has now been formalised into a partnership agreement with the trust to deliver the association’s affordable housing development programme, in tandem with its own complementary new build programme, in Lochaber.”