Hopes of ‘local homes for local people’ in Badenoch and Strathspey are dashed
Hopes of Badenoch and Strathspey councillors to establish a review of how social housing is allocated have been dashed after a Liberal Democrat counter-proposal.
For years, local members have voiced concerns about the lack of availability for locals, specifically young people, that is driving many out of the strath.
The area has the second highest number of second homes – the second most in the region after Ross and Cromarty – and a huge number of Airbnb-style rentals.
That has led to mounting frustration with homeless applications that often involve those with vulnerabilities like drug or alcohol addiction.
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Time to give local people priority on Highland Council’s housing ladder for strath, say councillors
The issue was raised at the recent council area committee when councillors said it was time for local affordable homes to go to local people.
They have pointed out the local population is aging, the workforce is diminishing, businesses are unable to recruit and families are forced into living further apart.
The needs-based Highland Housing Register by law ignores certain factors when selecting tenants for empty houses including how long someone has lived locally.
So local members wanted to change that as part of efforts to tackle the lack of affordable housing for locals in what would be a radical move.
They sought to bring a motion to the full council which would provide for a review of the allocation policy as what is called a starred item.
More often than not starred items are last minute but important additions to the full council agenda and typically councillors defer to the local members tabling it.
However, Councillor Russell Jones who proposed the move and council convener Bill Lobban who seconded it ran into tougher than expected opposition.
Councillor Angela Maclean brought forward an amendment, arguing the review should not proceed because the system was already ‘good, strong and clear and robust’.
She said: “I strongly believe that this council and its housing officers have worked with us as a housing committee and our tenants in providing a good, strong and clear and robust housing allocation policy.
“And that was reviewed in 2023 and I acknowledge that some of the issues raised at the local committee were about anti-social behaviour and homelessness.
“But whether it be the UK or Scottish governments have set out priorities and we as a council have a duty to house homeless people in all our areas.
“Each of us in our own area could make the same request for a local letting initiative for our area.”
She added: “I reiterate that the issue is that we don’t have enough houses, not that we have a bad policy”.
Councillor Jones responded saying: “We were presented with a report with homeless figures for people who had been allocated houses and when we asked how many of those people resided in Badenoch and Strathspey – that was not available.
“And that led to us unanimously taking a starred item to the meeting – I am unsure why we can’t, as an area committee, review that in Badenoch and Strathspey.
“In Badenoch and Strathspey we have got quite a few being built and all we are asking for is a review of how houses are allocated in our area.”
He added: “We are asking for a review – that is all we are asking for.”
Councillor Lobban said: “In February 2025, there were 564 on the housing list, of those there were 51 allocations made and nine of those came from the general housing list.
“This is not a claim we should be getting rid of our obligation to homeless people but it is trying to highlight the fact that if you are a young person being brought up in Badenoch and Strathspey today you will never ever get a council house if these figures don’t change”.
He added: “And why, as Councillr Jones just said, can Badenoch and Strathspey not ask for a review which is what we are asking for.”
The vote was lost 32 to 25.
How many second homes are there in strath and elsewhere in region?
The number of second home properties in the Highland Council area broken down by wards:
Caithness 142, Sutherland 551, Ross & Cromarty 672, Skye & Lochalsh 504, Lochaber 422, Inverness 397, Badenoch and Strathspey 656, Nairn 109. Total: 3453.
The total value of Council Tax second homes for 2025/26 is £5,823,396.
