Tighean Innse Gall (TIG) and the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) have launched a joint project to tackle the issue of empty homes in Outer Hebrides, working closely with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) to purchase and refurbish empty homes that will be made available to members of the community through social rent, mid-market rent, and rent-to-buy.
A minimum of twelve homes will be brought back into use over the course of the two-year project, revitalising rural communities across the Island chain, making them more attractive to people and families who wish to remain on the Island and also attracting new people and families to re-locate to the islands.
Shaheena Din, National Project Manager for the SEHP, said:
“We are delighted to announce our partnership with TIG, which has a fantastic track record of delivering housing and services to communities in the Outer Hebrides.
“The project to bring empty homes back into use is an excellent example of how innovative partnerships – the coming together of parties working towards the same goal – can produce tangible solutions for complex issues affecting rural and island communities across Scotland.
“This partnership could prove to be a model for tackling empty homes in Scotland’s rural and island communities.”
At the outset of the project, TIG will undertake a feasibility study of 20 empty homes to ascertain ownership, identify risks and constraints, and to draw up costings and plans, from which the most viable properties will be considered. TIG will also work with the local community to ensure that any house refurbished would be affordable and attract interested tenants or buyers.
TIG’s Rural Housing Burden provision will ensure that projects in the scheme will not be used as tourist accommodation or sold on for a profit during the lifetime of the property.
Donna Smith, Chief Executive Officer, TIG, said:
“We are truly excited about the difference this partnership could make in terms of tackling the problem of empty homes in the Outer Hebrides.
“Empty homes can often come with quite complex and sensitive situations, so the feasibility study will ensure that we invest in empty homes where success will be most likely achieved.
“Our project will build on the fantastic empty homes work undertaken by the Council in the last few years and we will work with the local Empty Homes Officer to ensure the partnership is a success.”
According to Scottish Government figures published in December 2021, 596 properties in Na h-Eileanan an Iar had been empty for six months or more. 462 of these had been empty for more than a year.
Before and after pictures of a formerly empty home in the Outer Hebrides which was restored by Tighean Innse Gall as a pilot project and is now occupied by a young professional.
Typical reasons for homes becoming empty for several years include the death of an owner, inherited properties where the new owners are unsure of what to do, property owners not being able to afford restorations to make the home habitable, and owners in care which leads to the property deteriorating.
Councillor Donald Crichton, Chair of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Sustainable Development Committee, said:
“Bringing an empty home back into use not only restores an unused property and provides a home but benefits a whole community.
“Since 2018, the Comhairle has helped to bring 185 homes back into use through advice and support given to owners. Bringing these empty homes back into use allows our rural communities to grow and thrive, potentially bringing more children into village schools, which helps them to remain open and allows more money to be spent in the local economy.
“The partnership between TIG and the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership is a really exciting development for the Outer Hebrides, that will enable us to bring more homes back into use and support communities throughout the islands.”
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Notes to Editors
About the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership
The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership is funded by the Scottish Government and hosted by Shelter Scotland. We exist to encourage Scotland’s approximately 44,000 privately-owned long-term empty homes back into use. At a time of a housing emergency, we know that every home matters.
The partnership was first formed in 2010, after the review of the private rented sector identified that empty homes can play an important part in meeting our housing challenges. Our aim is to bring as many privately-owned empty homes back into use as possible by meeting our five objectives:
- Deliver the Scottish Empty Homes Advice Service.
- Encourage every council in Scotland to have a dedicated Empty Homes Officer
- Support the national network of Empty Homes Officers
- Encourage registered social landlords, community groups and other private bodies to engage in empty homes work
- Encourage councils to mainstream empty homes work
About Tighean Innse Gall (TIG)
Tighean Innse Gall (TIG) is a Registered Society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. We are run primarily for the benefit of the community at large. This means that we are “not for profit” and we have an overarching community purpose that aims to reach and support every home, village and island of the Outer Hebrides.
We operate principally across the housing, community group and small business sectors to deliver on its vision to; “support people to rent, buy and live in comfortable, affordable homes, promote healthy independent living and assist businesses and communities to be more sustainable.”
We work in close partnership with the Local Authority, Integrated Joint Board and Community Planning Partnership to help shape services throughout the Western Isles. We also work with and help inform National Government and their Agencies to find solutions to issues affecting our sphere of operation and impacting the remote rural communities which we serve.
TIG has been delivering housing development services to the communities of the Outer Hebrides for 30 years. TIG was established to provide administrative, financial and development services to the five small community Housing Associations that were established around the same time.
This partnership produced over 500 affordable homes in the Outer Hebrides until the community Housing Associations transferred their stock to the Hebridean Housing Partnership (HHP) in 2007. Since then TIG and HHP have worked together to develop over 600 affordable homes in the Outer Hebrides.
TIG’s aim to is to provide a high quality development service using any appropriate partnership, grant regime or development opportunity to develop affordable homes and any associated facilities, in response to the identified needs of the Outer Hebrides and rural West Coast.
Scottish Government statistics on Long Term Empty Homes
Figures published by the Scottish Government in December showed that 43,766 homes were long term empty across Scotland. This includes 596 homes in Na h-Eileanan Siar, 559 homes in Shetland Islands and 188 homes in Orkney Islands. Long term empty properties are properties which are liable for council tax and have been empty for 6 months or more.