Council Consults On Rented Housing Pressured Area Status

28th June 2010

People in the Highlands are being asked to make their views known on 'Pressured Area Status' concerning socially rented housing provided by The Highland Council and housing associations.

Many communities in Highland are already covered by Pressured Area Status designation which over the last 5 years has helped to prevent social rented housing being sold through the Right to Buy. The Highland Council applied to the Scottish Government for Pressured Area Status to try to address the severe and persistent lack of affordable housing in the area.

Pressured Area Status designation means that tenants in designated communities who have been given a new tenancy on or after 30 September 2002 have their 'Right to Buy' suspended for 5 years.

The Highland Council is proposing to apply to the Scottish Government to have Pressured Area Status renewed and extended to all Highland communities with the exception of Caithness where Pressured Area Status designation will be sought for Thurso and small neighbouring communities of Forss, Geise, Glengolly, Janetstown, Scrabster, and Weydale.

If Pressured Area Status is extended anyone with a Scottish Secure tenancy that started in their current home on or after 30 September 2002 would have their Right to Buy suspended unless they live in Caithness outside of Thurso and its small neighbouring communities of Forss, Geise, Glengolly, Janetstown, Scrabster, and Weydale.

If approved, the Pressured Area Status designation will come into force later this year, before the current designation comes to an end in November 2010.

Pressured Area Status designations last for 5 years after which local authorities can re-apply.

The Council is seeking views and comments on its application to renew and extend Pressured Area Status. More information on pressured area status designation is on the Council's website www.highland.gov.uk at the Housing and Social Work Committee agenda for 19 May 2010.

Comments should be sent to: Housing Strategy Officer, The Highland Council, Housing & Property Services, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX; or e-mailed to housingandproperty[AT]highland.gov.uk by Monday 26th July 2010.

Councillor Margaret Davidson, Chairman of The Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Committee said: "We recognise the desire of many tenants to become owners and help them buy a home of their own at a price they can afford. Through the Government's LIFT home ownership scheme, shared equity houses are available to buy in communities across Highland at discounted prices from housing associations. As well as having priority, Council and housing association tenants are eligible to buy these on special terms. Hundreds of people have already benefited from this scheme.

"I urge tenants, individuals and communities across Highland to make their views known to the Council on Pressured Area Status and to identify communities where there are shortages of socially rented housing."

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

Today : Local Authority

Apply For Education Maintenance Allowance If you are 16 to 19 years old

If you are 16 to 19 years old, at school or college, and come from a low-income household you may be able to get financial help from an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).   EMA is a weekly allowance of £30 per week, paid during term time.  

22/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Highland Council launches new platform to improve online engagement

The Highland Council has today (Monday 22 June) launched a new online engagement platform which will transform how residents, communities and visitors engage with consultations.   The easy-to-use platform allows anyone to quickly see what projects and proposals are open for consultation and engagement.  

22/6/2026 : Local Authority

A Tale of Two Schools - Is Thurso Next? As Moray Council Shelves £100million school plan for Buckie

When Moray Council officially shelved plans for a new Buckie High School, it sent a shockwave through communities across the north of Scotland.  The message was clear: in the current economic climate, even the most desperate promises of new school builds can vanish overnight when balanced against a massive budget deficit.  

19/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Highland creatives help shape UK City of Culture 2029 bid

Cultural artists and creators from across the Highlands have gathered at Strathpeffer Pavilion to share their ideas and ambitions for the Inverness-Highland bid for UK City of Culture 2029.   The bid, which is being taken forward under the name Beò 2029 the Gaelic word for living brought together around 80 creative practitioners from across the region for a cultural conversation exploring what culture means in the Highlands, what stories the region wants to tell, and the legacy for the future.  

18/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Great Glen Way route improvements now open

A new improved section of the Great Glen Way is now open, offering walkers, wheelers and visitors a safer and more scenic way to experience this popular trail.   The Highland Council has completed work on over 3km of the route, moving it away from the public road and onto a new off‑road path.  

14/6/2026 : Local Authority

How Caithness Can Strengthen Its Case for Major Capital Investment in an Era of Shrinking Budgets

Caithness has reached a moment where the old assumptions about public investment no longer hold.  For decades, the region could rely on a three‑pillar system: HIE to drive economic development, Scottish Enterprise and national programmes to support growth, and Highland Council to deliver the infrastructure that underpins daily life.  

14/6/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

When the Money Moves South: How HIE’s Shrinking Budget Has Hit Caithness and Why “Record Funding” Doesn’t Mean What It Used To

For decades, Highlands and Islands Enterprise was the economic backbone of the far north.  It wasn’t perfect, but it was one of the few institutions that understood the basic truth of life in Caithness: distance costs money, and if the state doesn’t step in, the market won’t.  

11/6/2026 : Local Authority

Highland Council's £20 Million Transformation Gamble – What Happens if the Savings Never Arrive?

For most people, council committee papers and audit reports are not the sort of documents that attract much attention.  They are full of technical language, financial terminology and governance structures that can make even the most determined reader give up after a few pages.  

8/6/2026 : Local Authority

Hop on Board: £2 Bus Fares Make Exploring the Highlands Easier Than Ever

£2 Bus Fare Scheme Drives Accessible and Sustainable Travel Across the Highlands With the school holidays approaching, The Highland Council is encouraging residents and visitors to make the most of the £2 single fare cap on its in-house bus services.   The initiative is helping to make public transport more accessible and affordable, particularly for families looking for low-cost ways to travel during the summer months.  

7/6/2026 : Local Authority

Apprenticeship pathways to build a future Highland workforce

Highland Council's education committee members have praised the apprenticeship programmes offering more young people the chance to learn skills and equip them for the world of work.   Foundation Apprenticeships (FAs) and Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) in Highland are growing strongly, with participation now well above national averages.