2 October 2013
A trail blazing community self build project in Scotland – that has taken 13 years to get to the ‘starting blocks’ – is appealing to the Scottish Government in a last ditch attempt to get the project underway.
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The scheme would deliver ten two-bedroom self build homes for rent in Greendykes Road, Edinburgh, and the project has been co-ordinated by the Craigmillar Eco Housing Co-op. The project is supported by the City of Edinburgh council, and its housing team has helped the group secure the site for the development.
The group has also lined up £1m of funding to pay for the basic construction work. But the cost of the management and administration of project has not been funded and the Housing Co-op now fears it will not proceed.
All those involved in establishing the Co-op have worked voluntarily to get the project to the starting blocks, but they now have only a few days left to secure around £5,000 of additional funding to cover the administrative costs of setting themselves up as a charity. Without this money the scheme could hit the buffers.
Co-op Secretary Garreth Roberts said that they were appealing for sponsors to come forward to help them clear the final hurdle. He was also pressing the Scottish Government to support the group. “It seems crazy that the project may not proceed for such a small amount of additional support,” he told The Self Build Portal.
National Self Build Association Chair Ted Stevens said he would be writing to Margaret Burgess, the Housing Minister in the Scottish Government pleading for help for the group. “In England and Wales there is Government support to help groups like this get their projects ready to proceed. It would be great if the Scottish Government could find this modest amount to support this innovative and very worthwhile scheme,” he said.
Ewan Cameron-Nielsen, Scottish Government Housing Supply Division Team Leader, said: “We’ve had an exchange with Mr Roberts regarding help but unfortunately there isn’t anything in place at the moment which could support that kind of a project. I’m committed to informing him and his community members if something emerges which could be of potential assistance.
“We do recognise the importance of self build and continue to explore opportunities to see if there is something that we can do to support the sector in Scotland. Lately, our focus has been largely around the self build mortgages issue and understanding whether there is something that we can do to assist in that area. We don’t really have an active network in engaging and supporting self build activity like England has. And, as a consequence, there are issues that we’re trying to address.”
Anyone able to help the group should contact Garreth via cehc2013@yahoo.co.uk.
