The investment forms part of a wider £25m project to build housing locally, funded by Moray Council and the Scottish Government’s More Homes initiative.

Moray Council’s communities committee viewed the Strategic Housing Investment Plan, which is designed to allocate investment to the areas in Moray where the demand for affordable housing is greatest. A significant level of funding has been and will be invested in Elgin’s housing area, including Elgin South, Bilbohall, Stynie Road and the former Spynie Hospital site.

Other high priority areas include Banff Road in Keith, Speyview in Aberlour and Bogton Road in Forres, to maintain a balance of affordable housing available to residents in Moray.

Over the next two years, 140 properties will be built for council tenants. It comes as Moray Council’s Housing Need and Demand Assessment estimates that, on average, 237 new affordable housing units are needed each year. Moray Council will work in partnership with housing associations, with their contribution seen as essential in making sure the funding is used to build the maximum number of affordable houses possible.

Chair of Moray Council’s communities committee, Cllr Louise Laing, today thanked the housing team for their efforts in producing the Strategic Housing Investment Plan, and said that it was important in future-proofing housing development in the area.

Ms Laing said: “Using this funding, we’re also able to make advance purchases on land which means we’ve a ready supply of land to provide future homes for our residents. I’m also delighted that that all properties built under this scheme will receive an additional £2,000 grant subsidy to ensure they are as energy efficient as they can be.”