East Dunbartonshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2023/24 – 28/29

Introduction

All Scottish local authorities are required to prepare and update a Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) annually. The core purpose of the SHIP is to set out strategic investment priorities for affordable housing over the five year period 2023/24 to 2028/29, and outlines how the Council and its partners will deliver these priorities. The SHIP is supplementary to The East Dunbartonshire Local Housing Strategy (LHS) which has the core purpose of meeting the varying housing requirements of residents across East Dunbartonshire. The [forthcoming/current] LHS will cover the period from 2023 – 2028.

The SHIP is the operational outcome of the LHS and shows how the priorities identified in the LHS will be delivered in practice. The SHIP sets out how investment in affordable housing will be targeted to meet the objectives of the LHS, focussing on prioritisation and deliverability. A key objective being to increase the supply and quality of affordable housing that will enable people to successfully access suitable housing in their community and tenure of choice. The SHIP will also highlight the use of the Council’s Affordable Housing Policy as well as open market purchases in areas of high housing need and demand with limited supply across the local authority area.

On this page you will find information on:

East Dunbartonshire Local Housing Strategy
Local Development Plan and Affordable Housing Policy
East Dunbartonshire Housing Context
Demand for Affordable Housing
House Sizes
Intermediate Housing Types
Open Market Purchases
Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan
New Build Affordable Housing
Housing Infrastructure Funding Provision (HIF)
Development Constraints
Non Grant Funding Resources
Council Tax Second Home Discount
Gypsy/Travellers Housing Requirements
Wheelchair Accessible Housing
Older People
Child Poverty Action Report
Affordable Housing Supply Programme Funding (AHSP)
New Supply Targets
Affordable Housing Standards
Consultation
Equalities and Strategic Environmental Assessment
Monitoring Arrangements
Prioritisation of Projects

 

East Dunbartonshire Local Housing Strategy

The Local Housing Strategy (LHS) is the local vehicle for delivering the national priorities of increasing housing supply across all housing tenures. The LHS sets out the strategic direction for the Council and its partners to tackle housing related issues within East Dunbartonshire over a five year period. The new LHS covers the period 2023-2028 and will continue to take account of national and local priorities, housing need related evidence, and resource implications. The Council will monitor the LHS and the delivery of the agreed actions and outcomes on an annual basis.

The new LHS vision is:

“Everyone in East Dunbartonshire will have access to a climate friendly, affordable, good quality home which connects to communities and promotes health and wellbeing.”

In order to address this, the following four strategic priorities have been identified:

Priority 1 -       Delivering more homes at the heart of great places and communities

Priority 2 -       Achieving housing quality, affordable warmth and net zero homes

Priority 3 -       Supporting people to live independently and well at home

Priority 4 -       Improving housing options, choice and affordability

Each of the LHS priorities has a series of actions that provide proposals for activities to address the housing system imbalances. The new LHS has set an annual Housing Supply Target for East Dunbartonshire of 245 units per annum with a target of 95 affordable housing dwellings per annum and 150 market dwellings per annum. The previous LHS target was identified for a 12 year period. This target is based on the outcome of the Housing Need and Demand Assessment 3(HNDA3) and adjusted in line with local needs and circumstances.

The Local Housing Strategy will be monitored and reviewed on an annual basis.  Outcomes and successes will be conveyed through the publication of annual Local Housing Strategy updates.

Table 1 - Housing Supply Targets (LDP)

Target	Private	Affordable	All Tenure
Final Housing Supply Target per annum for East Dunbartonshire	150	95	245

Local Development Plan and Affordable Housing Policy

The Council [is in the final stages of preparing/has adopted] a new Local Development Plan (LDP2) to replace the existing Local Development Plan 2017. LDP2 sets out the Council’s long-term land use strategy, planning policies and identifies sites for development and protection. The targets in HNDA3 are also principally addressed through how land is allocated within the Local Development Plan process. The Housing service identified a range of sites to be included within LDP2 for affordable housing provision, and undertook feasibility studies of each site to determine viability for these housing development sites.

LDP2 continues the established affordable housing requirement of a 25% on-site developer contribution towards affordable housing for all new developments with 10 or more homes; and an equivalent commuted payment to be sought from developments of between 2 to 9 homes. Previously specific guidance on the provision of affordable housing was published alongside the plan; however that additional information has now been incorporated into the main LDP2 document.

Whilst the affordable housing policy remains unchanged for LDP2, additional criteria regarding the design of housing has been introduced, as follows:

• Developments of all tenures must provide wheelchair and accessible housing; the detail for which is included within the Design and Placemaking Supplementary Guidance. Specifically, the guidance sets a threshold that 5 - 10% of all tenures on site should be provided as wheelchair and accessible housing (however the preference is 10%). 
   
• In the case of sites within 400m walking distance of town and village centres (including also Lenzie local centre), and where they are 10 units or more in total, a minimum of 25% of the units on site will be provided as smaller housing of no more than 2 bedrooms that are accessible without stairs (for example ground floor flats and flats with lift access).

In 2017, as a result of the Reporters modifications to the adopted LDP, the Council introduced Planning Guidance on unsubsidised affordable housing which was applicable to sites of 25 homes or more. On such developments 15% of the total number of homes were to be provided as unsubsidised affordable housing. This was in addition to the 25% quota for subsidised affordable housing required by the LDP. The Council considered, given the updated context of a new Housing Needs and Demand Assessment, that it would not be appropriate to carry forward this provision to LDP2.

East Dunbartonshire Housing Context

The key affordability issue in East Dunbartonshire continues to be high house prices. Owner occupation is the predominant tenure in East Dunbartonshire, at 81% of the overall housing stock. House prices in the owner occupied sector remain high. According to the UK Price House Index Scotland, the average house price in East Dunbartonshire was £259,022 in June 2022, compared to the Scottish Average of £192,249, a variance of 26%.  East Dunbartonshire has the fourth highest average house price in Scotland of all Scottish local authorities.  Only Edinburgh, East Lothian, and East Renfrewshire Councils have higher house prices on average.

NOMIS suggests that the median earnings for 2021 was £39,244 in East Dunbartonshire, higher than the Scottish Average of £32,344. This means that an individual on a median income would need to borrow a multiple of around 6 times their salary to afford an average property in the area. Therefore, there are limited affordable housing options available for residents of East Dunbartonshire on a modest or low income.

There is a relatively low number of reported empty private sector homes across the local authority area. However, an empty home is a wasted asset and can have a negative impact on the surrounding community. East Dunbartonshire Council is keen for empty homes to be reported so we can work to trace owners and work out the best route to bring an empty property back into use as a sustainable home.  

Demand for Affordable Housing

East Dunbartonshire covers nine settlement areas, as seen in Table 2. As at September 2022, the Council had circa 2600 applicants on the Housing List.  Demand for each settlement area is shown in Table 2 below, while Graph 1 illustrates the relative demand per property type and area.

Table 2 - First Choice of Housing –– Demand and Stock by Area and Size (2019 – 2022)

Graph 1 – Ratio of Demand to Stock by Area

*Please note that an applicant can choose more than one area to be housed

**Hillhead Housing Association is the main housing provider in the Hillhead area of Kirkintilloch, and operate their own housing list.  The Association has reported that housing demand for their stock remains strong.  The above figure is therefore likely to under represent housing demand for this area.

Of the overall housing waiting list, the highest level of demand is for Bearsden (see Total in Table 2) followed by Bishopbriggs and Torrance.  Apart from Torrance, the villages generally experienced the lowest demand which may be down to their remote locations and low turnover and availability of affordable housing stock. In particular, the Bearsden and Milngavie market area generally has a limited supply of affordable housing, partly due to the limited extent of land ownership by the Council on which affordable housing might be built. Graph 1 also illustrates the acuteness of demand for 1 bed properties across East Dunbartonshire, but most particularly in Torrance, Bishopbriggs and Bearsden can also be seen to be in very high demand versus supply.

House Sizes

Of all applicants presently on the Council’s housing list, 53% require a one bed property; around a quarter require two beds and 15% require three beds, as illustrated in Table 2. There appears to be limited demand for larger four and five bed properties with the exception of Bishopbriggs and Bearsden which have significant demand for larger properties compared to supply.  The overall low requirement for 4 bedroom properties is partly attributed to the limited supply of larger properties.   

In view of the above, East Dunbartonshire requires a mix of one, two, three and some four bedroom properties. For Council House/RSL Social Rent, smaller one bed properties are in greatest need. Nevertheless, building a high proportion of one bed properties will not give East Dunbartonshire the flexibility to meet people's varying housing needs in-situ or create a mixed sustainable community.

The target percentages for each size are suggested at Table 3. However, this may need to vary to take cognisance of individual circumstances, client group, location and management issues.

Table 3 – Target Percentage Mix

Bedroom	Percentage
1 Bed	25%
2 Bed	50%
3 Bed	20%
4/5 Bed	5%

Intermediate Housing Types

Shared Equity
The Council has its own version of the Scottish Government LIFT New Supply Shared Equity (NSSE) scheme, known as Shared Equity Supply Scheme (SESS). The Council’s scheme is based on the same principles as NSSE, however SESS does not receive grant funding. The discount is generally achieved on the differential between the agreed purchase price and the market value. Properties need to be sold at least 20% below the market value to be affordable to lower income households. 

SESS is primarily aimed at first time buyers. However, the Council prioritises applications to ensure that those with the greatest housing need are considered first. This includes:

• People who are homeless or threatened with homelessness and have had a homelessness assessment carried out by the Council
• People with a disability whose current home doesn't suit their needs
• Residents living in housing that is Below Tolerable Standard
• People leaving the armed forces, or veterans
• People who have experienced a significant change in their circumstances, such as separating households or are subject to mortgage stress.

To date the Council has sold 40 properties under the SESS scheme. The Council is planning on undertaking research into demand for Shared Equity and MMR including the administration of these. The continued success of the scheme is dependent upon broader economic conditions. However, it is likely that the Council will continue to promote SESS in current and future housing developments as an affordable housing tenure.

Mid Market Rent
Mid Market Rent is another form of affordable housing and to date has been provided solely through Registered Social Landlords in East Dunbartonshire. Tenants generally pay a lower rent than the area's market rent level, but more than local social housing rents. Starting rents for new Mid Market Rent homes are often similar to the Local Housing Allowance. Mid Market Rent might be suitable for people on incomes that are not quite enough to afford home ownership, or private sector rents. These properties generally come with floorcoverings, blinds, and white goods.

RSLs will continue to promote Mid Market Rent developments in suitable locations and the Council may consider also introducing this option to its existing stock subject to  research work being undertaken which indicates that Mid Market Rent is an achievable housing option that best meets affordable housing provision.

Open Market Shared Equity Scheme
The LIFT Open Market Shared Equity Scheme (OMSE) is administered by Link Housing Association on behalf of the Scottish Government.  The scheme is similar to NSSE and SESS in that it allows eligible applicants to purchase a home at a discounted rate so that it is affordable to them and suitably meets their needs.  The fundamental difference is that OMSE allows residents to purchase existing/second hand homes in the open market, while NSSE and SESS specifically relate to new build provision.  The Council promotes the Scheme to applicants who indicate an interest in shared equity properties.

Table 4 - Intermediate Housing Demand                   

Tenure type	% of applicants stating an interest (2022)
Shared Equity	20%
Open Market Shared Equity	17%
Mid Market Rent	33%
Shared Ownership	21%

Open Market Purchases

Since 2012 the Council has operated an open market purchase scheme that has played a pivotal role in increasing housing supply since its implementation. This has involved the purchases of homes in areas of high housing need to increase the supply of affordable housing. Buying on the open market allows the Council to target high demand property types that are difficult to address through new development – such as family homes in Lenzie, Bishopbriggs, Bearsden and Milngavie, where land values and a limited land supply mitigate against building larger homes. Growing the housing stock also allows the Council to improve the issue of homelessness, which is a key priority of the LHS. 

As part of the scheme, the Council also targets the purchase of properties within mixed tenure blocks. This helps the Council meet its Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) and Energy Efficiency Standards for Social Housing (EESSH) requirements, helping reduce fuel poverty. During the period 2017 to 2020, there were 45 open market purchases, which had a positive impact on meeting housing need in the local authority area. The additional Rental off The Shelf purchases (ROTS) funding received from the Scottish Government in recent years has enabled the Council to subsidise the purchase of more affordable homes for rent and has proved to be fruitful in helping increase housing supply across East Dunbartonshire.

Unfortunately the Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on the Council’s ability to purchase homes, resulting in only 6 properties being purchased from the open market during 21/22. During 22/23, five properties have been purchased to date, and the Council hopes to purchase several more homes during the financial year.  While market conditions remain competitive, there are signs that this may change over the coming year, which may present additional opportunities to purchase existing homes. The Council is considering a campaign focussed specifically on properties where they are the last remaining private ownership within a largely Council-owned block. This will assist in the targeting of SHQS and maintenance more generally. There are approximately 130 of these properties across the Council area.

Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan

The Scottish Government issued Guidance on ‘Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans’ (RRTP) in late 2018 following recommendations from the Homeless and Rough Sleeping Action Group. Funding has been allocated by the Scottish Government to support local authorities’ transition to Rapid Rehousing. 

Each Local Authority is required to develop their plan in collaboration, over a planned and costed phase of five years (2019/20 to 2023/24). The RRTP was submitted to the Scottish Government in May 2019. RRTPs will then be an integral part of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) and reviewed annually as part of the SHIP process.

A key challenge of the RRTP is to reduce the waiting time on the homelessness list:

• At the start of 2019/20, 25% of applicants had been awaiting an offer of settled accommodation longer than 3 years. 
• As at 31 March 2021/22, no applicants have been on the homelessness list longer than 3 years. 

One of the outcomes in the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan relates to the prioritisation of homeless households in accessing affordable housing:

• During 2021/22, 220 homeless households were housed in the social rented sector in East Dunbartonshire, of which 100% were offered settled accommodation from the Council and our Common Housing Register (CHR) partners. 
• The Council’s Allocation Team allocated 472 homes in total during 2021/22. Although the agreed target for allocations to the priority list, which is comprised principally of homeless households, is approximately 50% - the percentage of allocations was significantly lower (46.6%);         
• f the 472 allocated, 220 were to households on the priority list 
  
  • 3568 were allocated a Council House, with 47.1% of these offered to the Council's priority list. (168)
  • 116 were nominated a Social Rented home within a RSL’s housing stock. Of these, 44.8% were offered to applicants on the priority list.  (52)
• In order to reduce the waiting time on the homelessness list for larger families; 17 temporary accommodation properties were converted from temporary accommodation to settled accommodation for existing households. 

New Build Contribution towards RRTP
New build housing provision has made a significant direct contribution towards alleviating homelessness since the establishment of the RRTP in late 2018, around 3.5 years ago.

As part of the ongoing commitment to help households experiencing homelessness, a target of 20% has been applied to new build housing developments in East Dunbartonshire.  In the period from late 2018 up to early 2021, 54 Council and 78 RSL new build units have been completed (132 in total - See Table 5):  Of these, 21 Council homes and 24 RSL properties (45 in total) were allocated to applicants assessed as being homeless or threatened with homelessness by the Council.  

In addition, during the first half of 2021/22, 44 Council and 45 RSL new build homes have been completed (89 in total), with 30 of these homes being allocated to homeless households.  This indicates that 34% of all new build lets made during this year to date were allocated to homeless applicants.  Around one third of new properties have been directly allocated to homeless households since the RRTP was adopted, significantly exceeding the 20% target.

Table 5 - New Build Properties Allocated to Homeless Households

Housing Provider	New Build Completions 2019/20	Number to Homeless Households	New Build Completions 2020/21	Number to Homeless Households	New Build Completions To Date 2021/22	Number to Homeless Households
Council	9	5	45	16	88	27
RSLs	41	10	37	14	67	25
Totals	50	15	82	30	155	52

Half of new build properties are also allocated to transfer list applicants. When these applicants move, they vacate an existing council home – 50% of these properties are subsequently let to homeless applicants. As such, the true impact on homelessness amounts to a further 25% of the total no of homes completed, or around 40 of new properties over the past 3.5 years. In total, therefore circa 90 homeless households have been rehomed as a result of the new build programme – approximately one third of the total number brought into management.

If the 20% target was to be applied to all housing sites potentially to be developed over the lifetime of the SHIP, at least 200 more homes would be directly allocated to homeless applicants over 5 years – around 40 per year. 

New Build Affordable Housing

The Council and RSLs however have made, and are continuing to make, good progress in meeting target timescales with the delivery of new-build affordable housing. However, the construction industry continues to be affected by material cost inflation and the stability of supply chains. A freeze on rental increases during 2022/23 provides certainty to tenants but introduces an additional pressure on the feasibility of projects. Taking together, these conditions presents a challenging set of challenges for the delivery of new-build affordable housing, and has to be considered for existing projects and for those programmed-in for the next 5 years.  The Council will continue to liaise with the Scottish Government and other stakeholders to manage on-going associated risks whilst promoting the housing development programme.

As part of the Council’s existing Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP1) 82 new build Council homes for rent  and 5 shared equity homes were completed at Tom Johnston Place, Kirkintilloch and 6 accessible homes were completed at Blackthorn Grove, Lenzie during 2021/22.   During 2022/23 a further 3 new homes at The Loaning, in Kirkintilloch have been completed to date.  Whilst work on a further 38 new homes at the former Lairdsland Primary School site, Kirkintilloch is ongoing and due to complete in February 2023

Following on from our Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP1), the Council have brought forward some outstanding sites from this programme and combined these with new sites identified to form our AHIP2.   A feasibility study for these new sites was undertaken in 2020 and have been assessed through the Local Development Plan 2 process. These sites include existing council owned land identified as being surplus to requirements over the lifetime of the SHIP.   Thirteen new development sites have been identified in all, with the potential combined value of £63m and the potential to deliver approximately 300 new affordable homes over a 5 year period which will deliver a variety of flats and houses: See Table 6 below.

It is proposed that these will be delivered under a phased approach by two contractors with the development process starting in a staggered but sequential manner; so that existing landownership or physical constraints can be resolved.

TABLE 6 – AHIP2

Phase	Site	No. of Units
A	Moss Road, Waterside	6
A	Hunter Road, Milngavie	4
A	St Machans Way, Lennoxtown	2
A	Nithsdale Crescent, Bearsden	26
A	Main Street, Torrance	6
A	Cleddans, Kirkintilloch	48
B	Stanley Drive, Bishopbriggs	59
B	Huntershill, Bishopbriggs	15
B	Glasgow Road, Kirkintilloch	53
C	Merkland Primary, Kirkintilloch	47
C	Campsie View Primary, Lenzie	21
D	Derrywood Rd, Milton of Campsie	43
D	Kelvindale Nursery, Torrance	12

Twechar Canalside
The Council owns a site in Twechar, which is proposed as part of a mixed-use development to provide affordable housing alongside a new community run facility associated with the adjacent Forth and Clyde canal.

The Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) provides funding to support the reuse of brownfield sites, which can provide the catalyst for new development, such as affordable housing. This site has been successful in being awarded £614,925 from this fund towards this project.

The funding was applied for during 2021 in order to cover the anticipated costs of remediation and preparation for development, including:

• land purchase and legal costs of purchasing a potential ransom strip
• decontamination of land,
• utilities infrastructure – for instance the provision of electrical power; and,
• the delivery of a technical study for shared renewable energy between the adjacent land uses.

Barrachan Cottages, Milngavie Reservoirs
The C Listed Barrachan Cottages at Milngavie Reservoirs are owned by Scottish Water who are intending to sell them. As a publicly owned agency the asset has been offered to East Dunbartonshire Council for purchase for use as affordable housing. The Council are currently undertaking a feasibility appraisal to conclude whether this opportunity would be viable. The site does have some constraints, including being limited to 5 units for any refurbishment or conversion.

Affordable Housing Contribution from Private Developers
The local authority is also working in partnership with a range of private housing developers, and has received 26 Council rent homes from CALA homes at Blacklands Place in Lenzie during 22/23. The Council expects to receive a further 9  social rented flats in Kirkintilloch by Summer 2023 from Springfield Properties, and will also receive 20 affordable homes from Robertson Homes at a development at Thorn Road, Bearsden in 2024/25.  The Council is also liaising with Robertson Homes on affordable housing provision at the former Auchinairn Primary School (Beech Road), Bishopbriggs. Should this proceed 12 homes will be received during 2024/25.

Affordable Housing Provision by RSLs
The RSL sector has also made a valuable contribution to affordable housing supply over the last few years.  Since 2019, RSLs have developed a total number of 180 homes throughout East Dunbartonshire.  These comprise 137 homes for social rent, 22 shared equity and 21 Mid Market Rent homes.  This healthy tenure mix promotes much needed social rented units as well as desirable intermediate housing options.

Additionally it is anticipated that a further 120 units RSL new homes will be complete by March 2023 comprising:

• 57 social rented and MMR flats at High Street, Kirkintilloch by Clyde Valley Housing Association
• 34 social rented homes and MMR units at Jellyhill, Bishopbriggs by Link Housing Association
• 21 social rented units at Whitegates, Kirkintilloch by Sanctuary Housing Association
• 8 social rented flats at Townhead, Kirkintilloch by Caledonia Housing Association

Housing Infrastructure Funding Provision (HIF)

The Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) was launched in 2016 to help RSLs and Council’s with grant support for the unlocking of sites that will deliver affordable homes in addition to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) and as in line with LA strategic priorities.

EDC will investigate opportunities to bid for support from the Housing Infrastructure Fund to progress the development of affordable housing at Glasgow Road and Barrachan Cottages.

Development Constraints

It is important that any development constraints are highlighted early in the development process to allow time for mitigation in order to achieve the delivery of affordable housing within the planned timescales. We are currently working with our contractors in identifying and mitigating any constraints.

Table 7 highlights known constraints and puts in place potential resolutions and timescales to ensure that any constraints are resolved by the estimated start date.

Table 7 - Development Constraints – Council Sites

Project Address	Development Constraints	Potential Resolutions	Timeframe to be resolved	Lead Responsibility
Glasgow Road	Fibre Optic Cable to be relocated Difficult Access off Glasgow Road Site Topography	Talks ongoing with BT   Access options being assessed Substantial retaining wall and costing of earthworks being undertaken.	November 2022	Council Housing Service
Nithsdale Crescent	Consolidation of ownership at mixed tenure block	CPO unsuccessful.  Options being considered. Possible refurbishment of 2nd Block	January 2023	Council Housing Service, Legal Services
Stanley Drive	Part of a wider Masterplan process.   Potential for deep peat on site.	Delay to submission of Planning Application   Peat Survey being undertaken.	September 2023     November 2022	Council Housing Service/City Deal Team
Derrywood, Milton of Campsie	Not identified as residential within the  LDP2	Reserve site – Potential windfall or consideration for development as part of the next LDP	2025 or later	Council Housing Service
Canalside, Twechar	No electrical supply to the site	Off-grid energy solutions,	2023	Council Regeneration and Major Assets teams
Campsie View and Merkland Schools	Site not in HRA ownership	Purchase arrangements with the General Fund	2023	Council Estates and Assets

Non Grant Funding Resources

The Council has budgeted to invest approximately £89.5min new affordable housing over the lifetime of the SHIP – for all priorities of site delivery. This includes an outline assumption of around £37.5m of grant funding towards directly contracted new build, Rental off the Shelf and Off the Shelf Purchases.

The remaining funding for the programme* is comprised of:

• £4.05m of Ring-Fenced Reserves
• £47.95m of Prudential Borrowing against the HRA 30-year business plan.

[note that these figures will be subject to review ahead of the Council’s 5-year Housing Capital budget plan in February 2023].

Council Tax Second Home Discount

The level of discount on second and empty homes is currently 10%. It is estimated that around £160k is received each year and this will be used to support the delivery of affordable housing to maximise provision. The total cumulative sum available stands at approximately £814,000 up to the year 2021/2022.

The funds generated from Developer Contributions and from Council Tax Second Home Discount are held in reserve and applied selectively on a site-by-site basis in order to support the viability of new build development projects.

Gypsy/Travellers Housing Requirements

The refreshed LHS Guidance of September 2019 indicates that the needs of Gypsy/Travellers are identified, understood and addressed with a requirement for local authorities to evidence recent engagement with Gypsy/Traveller communities in better understanding their needs. The LHS Guidance says that engaging directly with Gypsy/Travellers timeously on unauthorised encampments is a better way to understand their needs. Engagement over a period may be the most effective way of building up a clear picture of local need because of travel patterns.

A ministerial working group and Gypsy/Traveller Action Plan was established in December 2017 and links to wider ambitions set out in the National Performance Framework to create a fairer Scotland and stronger and cohesive communities. The life of the Plan was extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic until October 2022. Housing to 2040 the new National vision for housing in Scotland aims to embed the needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community in housing and planning policy. Through their More Homes Scotland Approach, the Scottish Government introduced the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund that sits alongside the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) and will support local authorities in delivering quality homes (but not houses) to Gypsy/Travellers.

There is no longer any public (or private) provision of sites for Gypsy/Travellers in East Dunbartonshire. Eight discreet sites are used for unauthorised encampments with an average of three encampments per annum from 2014 to 2019.

Scotland’s fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) includes draft policies on the accommodation needs of Gypsy/Travellers and is consistent with the principles of 20-minute neighbourhoods. The draft has been consulted on since March 2022 and will be adopted later this year. The Council’s new Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 also to be adopted later this year, sets out actions within LHS Priority 3 ‘Supporting People to live independently and well at home’ that aim to improve outcomes for Gypsy/Travellers through ongoing engagement and dialogue.

The Council had begun a process of engagement with a small group of Gypsy/Travellers during 2020/21 to ascertain need and demand for the existing unused site at Primrose Way, Lennoxtown. However the group have subsequently resettled elsewhere in Scotland and no longer require assistance in East Dunbartonshire. The Council continues to liaise with a neighbouring local authority to identify any movements that might exist between council areas that could be identified as housing need.

Wheelchair Accessible Housing

The Council is committed to the delivery of wheelchair accessible homes in all new residential developments provided through the Strategic Housing Investment Plan. The Council’s [Draft] Design and Placemaking Supplementary Planning guidance advises that 5- 10% of any new build development should be wheelchair and accessible housing. In most cases it is expected that the number of wheelchair and accessible dwellings will be or exceed 10%. The Housing Service targets this across the SHIP programme, tailoring the balance on each site to context and to local needs. The Council's own Housing programme targets 10% of homes as being wheelchair and accessible housing with other forms of amenity housing in addition to this.

The LDP2 contains an all tenure target to underpin and extend the requirements across the private and RSL sectors. The Plan proposes the need to provide a minimum of 5- 10% of the total units for each tenure type as wheelchair and accessible housing.

Additionally, as part of the Council new build programme, a number of developments will include housing for the ambulant disabled, particularly older people. This term embraces a wide group of people with a range of mobility problems or lack of agility and strength, but whose physical disability permits them to walk with or without the use of walking aids. The design need is for a home that is easy to move around with a walking frame or sticks or crutches, has a bathroom that can be adapted to their needs and fittings / service controls that are within reach and easy to use.

Older People

During 2019 the Council commissioned research together with the Health and Social Care Partnership in relation to Older People and Specialist Housing in East Dunbartonshire. The research which was conducted with a face-to-face sample of 500 residents indicates that around 41% of older people in East Dunbartonshire have a life limiting condition or disability. Of this overall group:

• 7% have health needs requiring aids and adaptations, which can be met through ‘in situ’ solutions or in new mainstream new build developments
• 10% have physical frailties which mean they are unable to get up and down stairs
• 5% are unable to easily access their own property due to the presence of steps. This category has a need for dedicated wheelchair options.

There is a requirement to ensure that all suitably accessible housing is provided for those most in need of it. As such, the Council has a set a target of at least 10% of properties to be wheelchair and accessible housing, the target for which is aligned with that proposed in the LDP2.

The Local Housing Strategy 2023-28 priority 3 aim is ‘Supporting people to live independently and well at home’. As part of the outcomes and actions for this priority the Council will further review the wheelchair space standards in order to determine if the Housing for Varying Needs designs are sufficient to meet the needs of older people and other specialist needs groups. This is being considered as part of the Authority Construction Requirements and Design Guide for the AHIP2 and as part of the AHIP2 pre-construction work. This will inform the Standard House Types which will be adopted for the programme.

It is anticipated that there will be circa 100 wheelchair accessible homes for affordable housing during the next five years. Additionally, private sector developers will need to adhere to the requirement in the approved LDP2 Proposal. The design of wheelchair housing will, as a minimum, meet requirements as outlined in Section 3 of the wheelchair accessible Housing Guidance. It is expected that around £15.5m will be invested in wheelchair accessible housing throughout the SHIP period.

Child Poverty Action Report

The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 sets out ambitious income-based targets for reductions in child poverty across Scotland by 2030. The Act sets out four statutory targets (after all Housing costs) to be achieved by 2030:

• Less than 10% of children are in relative poverty
• Less than 5% of children are in absolute poverty
• Less than 5% of children are in combined low income and material deprivation
• Less than 5% of children are in persistent poverty

Each local authority is required to publish an annual report and action plan to contribute to reductions in child poverty in the area, in partnership with the local NHS Board. East Dunbartonshire Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde published their first report and action plan in 2019.

UK Government Official Statistics published in March 2022 outline that East Dunbartonshire was the local authority in Scotland with the lowest proportion of children aged under 16 in low-income families for both Relative and Absolute measures at 8% and 7% respectively. A family must have claimed Child Benefit and at least one other household benefit (UC, Tax Credit or Housing Benefit) at any point in the year to be classed as low income in these statistics.

One of the key priorities of the Child Poverty Action Plan 2022 - 2023 is to ensure families can meet food and energy costs.  The three main drivers of Child Poverty Reduction set out in the 2022-23 Plan are:

• Increasing income from employment
• Maximising income from benefits
• Reducing household costs and other costs of living

In terms of affordable housing, East Dunbartonshire Council through the SHIP will increase the supply of Council House/RSL Social Rented and intermediate housing. Of the new affordable housing supply, it is anticipated that 978 grant funded affordable homes will be delivered during the lifetime of the current SHIP. The focus upon achieving the Silver Standard of energy efficiency in new Affordable Housing throughout the previous SHIP has also contributed towards reducing fuel poverty.  These measures will be extended further by achieving Gold Standard and in some instances it is hoped Passivhaus Standard in order to reduce heating bills to negligible amounts.

Affordable Housing Supply Programme Funding (AHSP)

The Scottish Government encourages Local Authorities to over-programme within their SHIP in order to ensure that, where slippages occur, there remains a healthy and viable stock of projects to take forwards. Regional variations in the actual delivery of SHIP programmes also means that grant can be reallocated from less to more active areas to support areas of greater activity. Due to the high level of housing need and demand in East Dunbartonshire, it is essential that as many homes are built over the SHIP period as possible. 

The total minimum level of Resource Planning Assumption (RPA) funding for the Council’s strategic local programme for 2021/22 – 2025/26 is £44.973m which represented only a proportion of the overall projected grant requirements for this period of the SHIP.   Grant aid levels were recently revised, which has resulted in a higher per property financial grant contribution being available to the Council and RSLs in East Dunbartonshire.

New Supply Targets

In total during the five-year lifetime of the SHIP, 1049 new homes could be built; 1032 of which would be eligible for Scottish Government grant funding; including RSL Shared Equity, Mid Market Rent and Council House/RSL Social Rent. A further 17 are part of the Council Shared Equity Supply Scheme and are not eligible for grant funding. In addition, the SHIP targets 100 homes to be purchased on the Open Market using the Rental off the Shelf subsidy.

The highest proportion of new supply is either Council Housing or RSL Social Rent. Some tenure types may change in future years given demand for intermediate housing tenures, particularly for sites which are unallocated presently or are currently categorised as being low priority. A breakdown of the projects by settlement area and tenure type is shown in Table 8 below. Note that the anticipated mix of tenure within each site is liable to change as each site passes through the design and development process.

Table 8 - New Affordable Housing Supply

Locality	Council House/RSL Social Rent	Shared Equity (RSL and Council)	Mid Market Rent
Twechar	30	0	15
Lenzie	31	0	0
Kirkintilloch	372	12	19
Waterside	5	0	0
Bearsden	53**	0	0
Bishopbriggs	126	0	12
Milngavie	37	0	0
Lennoxtown	54	0	0
Torrance	59	0	0
Milton of Campsie	43	0	0
Rental off the Shelf - All	100	0	0
Total	810	12	46

** Some units may change to Shared Equity in the future

Affordable Housing Standards

The development of any new rented homes in East Dunbartonshire will be built to comply with the applicable Building Regulations and will include all the ‘Housing for Varying Needs Standards’ essential features as set out by the Scottish Government’s Guidance (2022). In parallel with the council’s AHIP2 Programme a Design Guide and set of Authority Construction Requirements are being developed which will provide the standards, policies and regulations that East Dunbartonshire Council expect in their new affordable housing and in any refurbishment projects.

All new development set out as part of the SHIP, will adhere to new core standards in relation to such aspects as automatic fire suppression systems and carbon free heating systems. The Council will also actively promote new standards, where appropriate, around home working space and balconies, in those instances where open space is not possible and the approach is supported by Planning Policy.

Under the AHIP2 new construction methods will be assessed for all the sites and viability of using these will be looked at. As part of the Procurement process we have engaged two contractors with two design teams. It is envisaged that there will be collaboration and brain-storming over efficient methods of construction practise amongst other construction issues.

Sustainable Development
The Council and RSLs are committed to targeting the development of sustainable, zero carbon homes where this meets the twin aims of reducing fuel poverty and carbon emissions. Delivery partners will promote sustainable design, energy efficiency measures and renewable heat and energy technologies in all new affordable homes. New development will take account of the most relevant standards and guidance, as well as the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

This is reflected in the LHS framework through actions and activities of ‘Priority 2: Achieving housing quality, affordable warmth and net zero homes.’ The key actions and commitments by local partners for LHS Priority 2 seek to address and eradicate fuel poverty.

The Council’s own Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP2) will be designed to achieve, as a minimum, Scottish Building Standards Gold Level Aspects 1 and 2  Sustainability. The Council would also like to improve on this standard to Passivhaus level where viable. In relation to this the Council are also assessing the space standards as part of the new build programme. This work will be informed by the:

• Local Housing Strategy (LHS),
• Climate Action Plan (CAP)
• Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES)
• Testing of options through the market as part of Affordable Housing Investment Programme 2.

Design and Placemaking
The Scottish Government’s design policy is set out in Designing Streets and Creating Places. The Council implements the principles set out in these documents through its own policy, Design and Placemaking, which promotes distinctive, safe and pleasant, easy to move around, welcoming, adaptable, and resource efficient places.

The Council is committed to delivering on this policy in their affordable housing developments.  

20 Minute Neighbourhoods
The Scottish Government has committed to the concept of 20 minute neighbourhoods through the Programme for Government and draft National Planning Framework 4. 20 minute neighbourhoods are based on the concept of 'local living' by giving people the ability to meet most of their daily needs within a 20 minute walk, and by accessing safe active travel and public transport options. They aim to create communities that are vibrant, diverse, sustainable and supportive of healthy living. Action 1.3 in the LHS 2023 states that housing should 'support the delivery of 20-minute neighbourhoods by considering the potential for placemaking throughout the design and development of new build housing and existing stock

Consultation

In the development of the SHIP, the Housing Investment team continues to engage with other Council Services and key partner organisations such as Social Work, Planning, Private Developers, RSLs, Tenants’ and residents to ensure that shared priorities and their wider remits are incorporated in the SHIP. This engagement activity is carried out regularly through several forums including:

• The Tenant Participation Working Group
• RSL Programme Meetings
• Liaison Meetings with Council development colleagues in Planning, Roads/Drainage and other statutory consultees
• Meetings with Developers in relation to Planning submissions

As part of the consultation process for the SHIP in 2020, the draft document was placed on the Council’s website with comments invited from a range of interested parties including local tenants and residents.  A brief summary of key points identified by stakeholders included:

• Preference for future provision to comprise more family homes, particularly 3 bed houses compared to flats
• Support for intermediate housing options in addition to social rented provision, especially Low Cost Housing to Buy and Shared Equity
• Agreement that amenity housing provision should include particular features to assist vulnerable tenants, principally  level access or lift access to all front doors and accessible showers
• Endorsement of the promotion of energy efficiency standards to help reduce fuel poverty and meet climate change, including passivhaus housing standards.
• Support for future housing provision to meet minimum size requirements

The comments above have been taken into consideration and we are actively using them to inform our AHIP2. We have had stakeholder workshops including HSCP to inform our Design Guide and Construction Requirements for the new programme.

In preparation and to inform the new LHS 2023- 28, there has been extensive consultation and engagement with all stakeholders. This included an early engagement survey, stakeholder conference and option identification and appraisal workshops.  

It is proposed to re-start the collective group meetings with the RSL’s in East Dunbartonshire before the end of 2022 as a way to continually consult and collaborate on delivery and best practise

Equalities and Strategic Environmental Assessment

In line with The Equality Act 2010, an Equalities Impact Assessment has been prepared in conjunction with the SHIP. 

The aim of the Equalities Impact Assessment was to identify the likely or actual effects of this Strategic Housing Investment Plan on residents and stakeholders. This includes identifying any aspect of the SHIP that could indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally discriminate against the users of our services or our staff. Where there are any potential negative impacts identified, action will be taken to eliminate or mitigate these negative impacts.

Additionally, a Strategic Environmental Assessment has been carried out on the SHIP. This involved undertaking a pre-screening assessment of the SHIP in accordance with Schedule 2 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. The pre-screening found that the SHIP itself is considered to have no or minimal environmental impacts, but further consideration would be given to the LHS and LDP2 in relation to new development.

Monitoring Arrangements

The key to delivering successful projects is thorough effective partnership working between a range of skilled agencies and organisations. Securing the necessary additional resources is fundamental if the SHIP is to be delivered successfully. It is equally essential that commitment is made to the management of the funds to maximise the provision of new affordable housing to meet local housing needs.

The LHS is reviewed annually and any progress towards delivering the LHS priorities is presented to Committee. Since the implementation of the LHS there has been significant progress towards delivering on Priority 1 in relation to the delivery of affordable housing. The Council has regular discussions with RSLs operating in the local authority area which has helped deliver on the key actions of Priority 1.

Should additional funding be made available and/or new projects are brought forward, discussion will take place with the Council and the Scottish Government to agree funding of the projects.  All new projects will be assessed against the Council’s prioritisation methodology.

Progress on the delivery of affordable housing will be assessed against the range of actions against the LHS outcomes and SHIP investment programme. The results will be used to update the LHS and succeeding years SHIP programme as appropriate.

Prioritisation of Projects

It is essential that the SHIP maximises the provision of affordable housing to meet the high level of housing need. Although housing need and demand primarily can be met through the provision of social rented accommodation, some intermediate tenures may contribute to meeting housing need.

Each project has been prioritised according to the following methodology below.  The prioritisation outcome for each project can be found at Appendix 1 below.

High

• The Project has received Tender Approval from Scottish Government, or expects to receive Approval by March 2022 and/or;
• The Project is located in an area of high housing demand with low supply of affordable housing with limited stock turnover, and/or;
• The Project forms part of a Regeneration Strategy in areas with high or considerable housing demand.

Medium

• The Project has not yet received Tender Approval from Scottish Government, and;
• The Project is located in an area of considerable housing demand with moderate supply of affordable housing with some stock turnover, or;
• The Project forms part of a Regeneration Strategy in areas with lesser housing demand

Low

• The Project has not yet received Tender Approval from Scottish Government, and;
• The Project is located in an area with a lesser degree of housing demand with a moderate supply of affordable housing with some stock turnover, and;
• The Project does not form part of a Regeneration Strategy

Appendix 1: East Dunbartonshire Affordable Housing Projects – 2022/23 – 2026/27

Development	Area	Developer	Council House/RSL Social Rent Units	Shared Equity Units	Mid Market Rent Units	Priority
Former Lairdsland School	Kirkintilloch	East Dunbartonshire Council	38	0	0	High
Glasgow Road	Kirkintilloch	East Dunbartonshire Council	53	0	0	Medium
Merkland School	Kirkintilloch	East Dunbartonshire Council	47	0	0	Medium
Cleddans Playing Fields	Kirkintilloch	East Dunbartonshire Council	48	12	0	High
Whitehill Court (Cleddans)	Kirkintilloch	To be Confirmed	37	0	0	High
High Street  Phase 1	Kirkintilloch	Clyde Valley Housing Association	22	0	19	High
High Street Phase 2	Kirkintilloch	Clyde Valley Housing Association	16	0	0	High
High Street Phase 3	Kirkintilloch	Clyde Valley Housing Association	16	0	0	High
Fauldhead Road South	Kirkintilloch	Hillhead Housing Association 2000	16	0	0	Medium
Fauldhead  Road North	Kirkintilloch	Hillhead Housing Association 2000	41	0	0	Medium
Whitegates	Kirkintilloch	Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association	21	0	0	High
Townhead	Kirkintilloch	Caledonia Housing Association	8	0	0	High
Adamslie Park	Kirkintilloch	East Dunbartonshire Council	9	0	0	Medium
Moss Road	Waterside	East Dunbartonshire Council	5	0	0	Low
Meadowburn Avenue	Lenzie	To Be Confirmed	10	0	0	Medium
Campsie View School	Lenzie	East Dunbartonshire Council	21	0	0	Medium
Beech Road (former Auchinairn Primary)	Bishopbriggs	East Dunbartonshire Council	12	0	0	High
Stanley Drive	Bishopbriggs	East Dunbartonshire Council	30	0	0	High
South Crosshill Road	Bishopbriggs	Loretto Housing Association	40	0	0	High
Crofthead	Bishopbriggs	Loretto Housing Association	7	0	0	High
Jellyhill	Bishopbriggs	Link Group	22	0	12	High
Huntershill	Bishopbriggs	East Dunbartonshire Council	15	0	0	High
Bearsden Golf Course	Bearsden	East Dunbartonshire Council	20	0	0	High
Nithsdale Crescent*	Bearsden	East Dunbartonshire Council	26	0	0	High
Milngavie Road	Bearsden	To Be Confirmed	7	0	0	High
Hunter Road	Milngavie	East Dunbartonshire Council	2	0	0	Medium
Craigton Road	Milngavie	Link Housing Association	30	0	0	Medium
Barrachan Cottages	Milngavie	East Dunbartonshire Council	5	0	0	Medium
Campsie  Golf Club	Lennoxtown	To Be Confirmed	5	0	0	Low
Lennox Castle Hospital	Lennoxtown	East Dunbartonshire Council	30	0	0	Low
Lennoxlea	Lennoxtown	To Be Confirmed	13	0	0	Low
St Machans Way	Lennoxtown	East Dunbartonshire Council	2	0	0	Low
Bencloich Road	Lennoxtown	To Be Confirmed	4	0	0	Low
Derrywood Road	Milton of Campsie	East Dunbartonshire Council	43	0	0	Medium
Kelvindale Nursery	Torrance	East Dunbartonshire Council	12	0	0	High
Torrance Main Street	Torrance	East Dunbartonshire Council	5	0	0	High
East of Ferrymill Motors	Torrance	To Be Confirmed	8	0	0	High
Kelvin View	Torrance	To Be Confirmed	34	0	0	High
Glen Shirva Road	Twechar	Castle Rock Edinvar	15	0	15	Medium
Canalside	Twechar	East Dunbartonshire Council	15	0	0	Medium
Rental Off the Shelf	All	n/a	100	0	0	High
Total Number of Units			910	12	46	968

*some units may change to shared equity tenure at a later date