SSEN Transmission has pledged to support the building of more than 1,000 new homes across the north of Scotland as the important employer aims to play a role in solving the area’s chronic housing shortage.
The company is working with councils, registered social landlords and other housing organisations to deliver the new homes as part of its Pathway to 2030 programme – a £20 billion investment to upgrade the transmission network in the north of Scotland in support of energy security and national net zero ambitions.
SSEN Transmission is responsible for the electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland. It is currently owned 75% by Perth-based SSE plc, the biggest listed firm run from Scotland, and 25% by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, an international investor.
“Workers’ accommodation will be required to deliver the proposed projects, and SSEN Transmission is aiming to create a legacy in the communities that will host its workforce by delivering housing that will support local need when the projects are completed,” said SSEN.
“The scale of this delivery of new housing in local authority areas in the north of Scotland includes around 400 homes in Highland and a similar number in Aberdeenshire, and other significant housing activity is planned elsewhere across SSEN Transmission’s area.
“Further announcements with details of local housing projects in different council areas will be made in the coming months.”
SSEN Transmission outlined its plans at the Housing Challenge Summit in Aviemore on Tuesday.
“Developed over the last year in collaboration with contractors, local authorities, registered social landlords and other housing organisations, it details several delivery models that will be used to achieve its ambitions,” said SSEN Transmission.
“The strategy has been heralded as a potential game-changer that could be used as a template by other infrastructure developers, driving housing development in the communities where their projects are based.”
Rob McDonald, SSEN Transmission’s Managing Director, said: “Our commitment to support the delivery of more than 1,000 new homes in the north of Scotland reflects ongoing work led by SSEN Transmission with the support of our contractors and partners, focused on finding workforce accommodation solutions that will provide a legacy for communities where the lack of housing for local people is a key issue.
“This is a significant and innovative contribution to addressing the housing challenges in the north of Scotland, and it also demonstrates how we can work in partnership to develop imaginative proposals that will deliver new homes and act as a template for other developers.
“Discussions are ongoing with local authorities, developers and registered social landlords over the location and scale of potential projects, and we expect to make further announcements in the coming months that will demonstrate substantial benefits to local communities.
“Our £20bn investment in the transmission network is the biggest investment programme the north of Scotland has seen in decades – and our ambition to create a housing legacy reflects our determination to make a lasting and positive contribution in the communities hosting our infrastructure.”
Scottish Government Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: “I welcome the innovative approach being taken by SSEN Transmission to support the delivery of an additional 1,000 new homes across the north of Scotland. These homes will initially be for workers upgrading the local energy infrastructure to support Scotland’s net-zero targets and will support a longer-term legacy across the region.
“We will work with SSEN Transmission and other partners to ensure that the right homes are delivered in the right place, to benefit local communities for generations to come.
“Good quality housing is essential to attract and retain people in our communities. We remain focussed on delivering 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032, with at least 70% for social rent and at least 10% in our rural and island communities supported by our Rural and Island Housing Action Plan.”
Carolyn Lochhead, Director of External Affairs at the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, said: “Our members are looking forward to working alongside SSEN Transmission to provide much-needed homes across the north of Scotland.
“The housing emergency has hit rural Scotland particularly hard and has exacerbated so many other existing challenges such as depopulation, labour shortages, and underinvestment in rural communities.
“This investment will be vital for communities across the north of Scotland and is a good example of collaborative working to increase the supply of housing.”
Highland Council’s Chair of Housing and Property Committee, Cllr Glynis Campbell Sinclair, said: “We are working with partners and developers across the private and public sector to identify creative solutions to deliver new homes and we very much welcome innovative proposals such as this coming forward for consideration.
“SSEN Transmission has embraced the provision of legacy housing, which is a key part of our Social Value from Renewables Charter, and I look forward to many other companies coming forward with the same level of intent.”