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Housing
Information For Caithness
Archived News 2003 and 2004
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16 December 04 6 December 04
19 July 04
10 January 04 The speedy improvement of Scotland�s homes can have a major impact on the confidence of Scots in the work of this Parliament and of the effectiveness of the Government that has made the current proposals under debate today. I can say bluntly that in my part of Scotland affordable, warm and available housing can make the difference between families and single persons staying to contribute to community life and our local economy or emigrating. The population loss is a great concern for the viability of life in many towns as well as more scattered communities. So progress has to be measured regularly and carefully in order to sweep away constraints on the improvement and provision of 21st century homes. While 70% of Scots are now owner-occupiers, and owner occupancy is the aspiration of the majority, we must make sure that the development of mixed tenure and varying types and densities of housing are enabled by the Government�s plans. Having recently participated in the Local Structure Plan process in Easter Ross it is clear to me that encouraging owners to undertake regular maintenance of their homes is one critical element. This is especially so as we have an aging population structure throughout the country. Older people have not the where-with-all to negotiate the rapids of the house improvement process. The Government needs to make this easier for them by cutting red tape and offering through Local Authorities the kind of one-stop-shop that could help reduce bewilderment and fear of the process. Many of the available materials in the seventies and eighties were of poorer quality that those used to build and maintain council housing stock. Any canvasser in elections can still see the evidence. So recommendations of the Housing Improvement Task Force are most welcome on responsibilities for the upkeep of houses. Looking at the guidelines for improvements, extensions and new build there is an urgent need for national guidelines to positively encourage the use of local materials, high insulation factors and new designs fit for the 21st century. Too often planners reject innovation. As the Development Plan Policy guidelines issues by Highland Council state in the issue of October 2003 �design, siting and material finishes must respect the traditional vernacular architecture and adhere to the objectives of the national guidelines.� The Pan 67 advice on Housing Quality concentrates of town scenarios, naturally. However with Scandinavian style houses built to meet public housing needs in Shetland we could do with a Viking invasion of such advanced design onto the mainland. And the Minister must ensure that bodies like SNH cannot veto housing developments in sensitive areas on grounds of architecture inappropriate in sensitive landscapes. How are we ever to make progress to have population increase in the north far less retain bright young innovative designers who want to use plentiful wood from our forests as the building materials of sustainable and high insulation choice. The availability of land for creating modern settlements and appropriate housing for families, the disabled, single parents, pensioners is a major equal opportunities issue. If you add access to wholesome water supply, which is the second largest category in the BTS surveys we have to ask the Minister to ensure that Scottish Water and SEPA are brought fully on board the drive to modernise housing stock. At present in many rural areas these agencies hold a veto on any new house building over solutions to the obvious needs to minimise costs both to supply wholesome water and to agree the best means to remove and treat sewage. The final point links with my remarks about Scandinavian levels of insulation, the biggest group of homes in the BTS survey have poor thermal insulation. Caithness area of Highland Council is re-cladding the stone council houses built in the 1920s to include cavity walls and include roof insulation. That is last century�s standards, not the Council�s fault. The lead from this Government has to raise the quality levels to make our homes in the north the envy of the country. That�s why a timetable and necessary resources called for in the SNP amendment should be welcomed by the Minister and are expected by the public. 29 July 03 4 July 03 14 March
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