Programme for 1,200 new affordable homes in Fife proposed

FIFE Council has approved proposals in principle to bring forward a detailed programme to build 1,200 more council houses between 2022 and 2024.

Referred to as a traditional affordable housing programme (AHP), the local authority said that the development and delivery of the additional houses will maintain the supply of affordable housing as the current phase 3 programme comes to an end in May 2022.

The report presented to the council proposes a two-year transitional AHP and a specific town centre housing approach to regenerate town centres. The proposal builds on the successful delivery of 2,700 new council houses completed during the phase 2 programme from 2012-17, and 3,500 new council houses to be completed in phase 3.

Convener of Fife Council’s community and housing services committee, councillor Judy Hamilton, commented, “To ensure we maintain the vital supply of new council houses, we need a plan that will follow-on immediately from the current Phase 3 affordable housing programme (AHP).  Today we approved the initial proposal and gave the go ahead for detailed, costed plans to be developed and brought to the community and housing services sub-committee in October 2021.

“I remain absolutely committed to meeting housing needs of people of Fife. Each new council house, in each development provides every new tenant with a high quality, comfortable home built to the highest standards. Our successful affordable housing programme is a top priority for the council and, working with partners including the Fife Housing Association Alliance, we are aiming to create as many safe, warm and affordable homes for Fifers as possible.”