Open meeting to be held in Ballater about affordable housing

People in Ballater are being invited to an open meeting to find out more about affordable housing.

Following the community consultation run in the village by Ballater One Voice Our Future (BOVOF) it was agreed that a meeting would be held to raise awareness of what is already available from the Local Authority and Housing Associations for rent and low cost home ownership. There will also be an overview of the BOVOF project given at the meeting by Gordon Riddler of Ballater (RD) Ltd.

The meeting, which will be held on Thursday July 2 at 7:30pm at the Albert Hall, will feature presentations from local housing association and council officials.

They will provide information on Registered Social Landlord housing, how housing associations operate, how their waiting list and allocation policy operates and funding for housing.

There will also be an overview on council housing – statistics on stock, waiting list figures, turnover, how council houses are allocated, progress on Common Housing Register and funding available for housing from the Scottish Housing Investment Programme.

Other topics to be highlighted at the meeting will be Rural Home Ownership Grants, Rural Empty Property Grants, and Rural Homes for Rent.

Locals will then get a chance to ask questions before they decide on a plan of action.