Energy company unveils ambitious plan to deliver over 1,000 homes in North Scotland – Scottish Business News

In a landmark move to address housing needs and support its workforce, SSEN Transmission has announced a bold initiative to deliver more than 1,000 new homes across the north of Scotland by 2030.

This ambitious housing strategy is part of the company’s £20 billion Pathway to 2030 project, aimed at accommodating the growing workforce required for the region’s energy transition.

The plan outlines SSEN Transmission’s commitment to tackling the housing shortage in the area while supporting its expanding operations. The strategy includes:

• Delivery of over 1,000 new homes across various locations in northern Scotland
• A focus on both urban and rural areas to meet diverse housing needs
• Completion targeted by 2030, aligning with the company’s broader energy transition goals

The housing initiative is set to have a significant impact on different parts of northern Scotland.

In the Highlands and Aberdeenshire, a substantial portion of the new homes will be constructed in these areas, addressing local housing demands.

Approximately 400 new homes are specifically pledged for the Highland region, with a similar number in Aberdeenshire, targeting the ongoing housing crisis.

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.

Additional significant housing developments are scheduled to be announced in the near future.

SSEN Transmission will present its housing plans at the Housing Challenge Summit occurring in Aviemore today (Tuesday, October 22), during which it will introduce its innovative housing strategy.

This strategy, developed over the past year in partnership with contractors, local government bodies, registered social landlords, and other housing entities, outlines various approaches to fulfilling its goals.

This strategy is being recognised as a groundbreaking approach that could serve as a model for other infrastructure projects, thereby promoting housing growth in the communities where their developments are located.

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.

“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.”

The Scottish Government’s 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.”