Press Release
THE FUTURE OF HOUSING IN SHETLAND
Consultation will address increasing homelessness, a falling and ageing population, fuel poverty and imbalance in house types.
A MAJOR consultation is underway aimed at gathering opinion from throughout the isles on what Shetland’s housing priorities should be over the next five years.
Among the issues to be addressed, all raised in the draft report ‘Shetland’s Local Housing Strategy’, are:
- A major increase in homelessness – a 60 per cent rise between 2004/5 and 2008/9.
- An ageing population – a 50 per cent rise in those 65 or older by 2031 is predicted.
- A falling population – a drop of 31 per cent by 2031 in those aged 0-15 and 20 per cent for people aged between 16 and 64.
- Fuel poverty. Among pensioner households, 66 per cent are considered ‘fuel poor’.
- A lack of affordable housing and too many houses thatare too big for the numbers expected to occupy them as the populations changes. A fifth of Shetland homes have one or two bedrooms, compared to a third of the Scottish total.
Between now (26th April) and 17th June a series of public meetings, surgeries and presentations will be held at which members of the public can express their views. Paper and online surveys are being conducted, and opinions can be sent in writing or telephoned to the Shetland Islands Council Housing Service.
The draft strategy can be read online or obtained from the SIC.
“This is an absolutely crucial process which will determine the direction of housing provision in the isles over the next five years,” said Councillor Allison Duncan, chairman of both SIC Housing and the multi-agency Housing Strategy Steering Group. “It is an issue that affects everyone in Shetland, whether in private or publicly-provided housing. Everyone needs a roof over their heads, and we need to work out the very best way of accomplishing that.”
The Housing Strategy Steering Group includes SIC councillors and representatives of Hjaltland Housing Association, NHS Shetland, Shetland Citizens Advice Bureau, Shetland Council of Social Service, Shetland Tenants Forum and all relevant SIC departments. In working on the draft strategy, it met as five sub-groups, each dealing with a different issue. These are:
- Fuel Poverty
- The future supply of housing
- Homelessness
- Housing support and housing for an ageing population
- Private sector housing.
Anita Jamieson, the SIC’s head of housing, said:
“We need folk to tell us what they think the priorities should be for housing in Shetland. This affects everyone, and there are urgent needs to be addressed here. This doesn’t mean we want folk to come to the special meetings about specific housing cases, asking for housing for their relatives or themselves, or to complain – the SIC housing office is available as always for things like that. This is all about what can help Shetland meet its housing needs in the future – the needs of the people and communities of Shetland.”
Both Mrs Jamieson and Councillor Duncan stressed the importance of the vision set out for the housing strategy:
“To work in partnership to enable everyone in Shetland to have access to a choice of affordable housing options across all tenures, that are warm and safe, energy efficient and in keeping with the Shetland environment, of good quality and in good repair, able to meet demand and the particular needs of households, in inclusive and vibrant communities.”
Local area events have been or will be widely advertised and will include a ‘drop in’ period when informal discussions with housing staff can take place, followed by a formal presentation and public meeting.
These will take place at the following venues, with informal discussions between 4.00pm (except Lerwick) and 7.00pm, and the meetings between 7.00pm and 8.30pm
Wednesday 27th April Carnegie Hall, Sandwick
Wednesday 4th May Cullivoe Hall, Yell
Wednesday 11th May. Room 16, Islesburgh Community Centre, Lerwick (drop-in from 4.30pm)
Wednesday 18th May. Scalloway Hall.
Monday 23rd May. Brae Hall.
Tuesday 31st May. Germatwatt Centre, Walls.
Monday 6 June. Symbister Hall, Whalsay.
The draft housing strategy can be accessed and the online survey completed at:
http://www.shetland.gov.uk/lhs
or by telephone on 01595 744376.
Paper surveys are available from local SIC community Work offices or direct from Housing.
SIC Housing can be contacted by email at
by telephone on
01595 744360
Or at Shetland islands Council Housing Service
Department of Education and Social Care
6 North Ness Business Park
Lerwick ZE1 0LZ
Information can be provided on request in Braille, on tape, in large print and in a range of different languages.