Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2025/26 – 2030/31

1.1. All Scottish local authorities are required to prepare and update an annual Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP).

The core purpose of the SHIP is to set out strategic investment priorities for affordable housing over the five year period 2025/26 to 2030/31, and outline how the Council and its partners will deliver these The SHIP is complementary to the East Dunbartonshire Local Housing Strategy (LHS) which has the core purpose of meeting the varying housing requirements of residents across East Dunbartonshire. The current LHS covers the period from 2023 – 2028.

1.2. The SHIP sets out how investment in affordable housing will be targeted to meet the objectives of the LHS, focussing on prioritisation and A key objective is to increase the supply and quality of affordable housing that will enable people to successfully access suitable housing in their community and tenure of choice.

2.1. The Local Housing Strategy (LHS) is the vehicle for delivering national priorities of increasing housing supply across all housing tenures. The LHS sets out the strategic direction for the Council and its partners to tackle housing related issues within East Dunbartonshire over a five-year period. The LHS covers the period 2023-2028 and takes account of national and local priorities, housing need related evidence and resource implications. The Council monitors the LHS and the delivery of the agreed Action Plan on an annual basis.

The LHS vision is:

"Everyone in East Dunbartonshire will have access to a climate friendly, affordable, good quality home which connects to communities and promotes health and wellbeing."

To address this, the following four strategic priorities have been identified:

• Priority 1 - Delivering more homes at the heart of great places and communities
• Priority 2 - Achieving housing quality, affordable warmth and net zero homes
• Priority 3 - Supporting people to live independently and well at home
• Priority 4 - Improving housing options, choice and affordability.

2.2. Each of the LHS priorities has a series of actions that drive activities to address housing system imbalances in East LHS has set an annual Housing Supply Target (HST) for East Dunbartonshire of 245 units per annum with a target of 95 affordable housing dwellings per annum and 150 market dwellings per annum. The LHS target is linked to the Housing Need and Demand Assessment and covers a 10-year period. HNDA3 has been assessed as robust and credible by the Centre for Housing Market Analysis (CHMA) in July 2024. It should be noted that, as a result of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, a Minimum All Tenure Housing Land Requirement (MATHLR) should be set for each authority area in the National Planning Framework (NPF).

2.3 NPF4 was adopted by the Scottish Government in February 2023 and states that LDPs must exceed the MATHLR through the setting of a Local Housing Land Requirement (LHLR). The result being that the next LDP for East Dunbartonshire is required to provide supply of land to accommodate the delivery of a minimum of 250 dwellings per
year. Therefore, the Housing Supply Target may require to be amended during the lifetime of the LHS.

2.4 The Local Housing Strategy will be monitored and reviewed on an annual basis. Outcomes and successes will be conveyed through the publication of annual Local Housing Strategy updates.

3.1. The Council adopted Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2) in 2022 which replaced Local Development Plan 1 (adopted in 2017). LDP2 sets out the Council’s long-term land use strategy, planning policies and identifies sites for development and protection. Council officers identified a range of sites to be included within LDP2 for affordable housing provision and undertook feasibility studies of each site to determine viability for these housing development sites.

3.2. LDP2 continues the established affordable housing requirement of a 25% on-site developer contribution towards affordable housing for all new developments with 10 or more homes; and an equivalent commuted payment to be sought from developments of between two to nine Specific guidance on the provision of affordable housing is incorporated into the main LDP2 document within guidance on Design and Placemaking.

3.3. Whilst the affordable housing policy remained unchanged for LDP2, additional criteria regarding the design of housing was introduced, as follows:

• Developments of all tenures must provide wheelchair and accessible housing, the detail for which is included within the Design and Placemaking Supplementary Specifically, the guidance sets a threshold that 5 - 10% of all tenures on site should be provided as wheelchair and accessible housing (however the preference is for 10%)
• In the case of sites within 400m walking distance of town and village centres (including also Lenzie local centre), and where they are 10 units or more in total, a minimum of 25% of the units on site will be provided as smaller housing of no more than two bedrooms that are accessible without stairs (for example ground floor flats and flats with lift access).

3.4. Work on the next Local Development Plan (LDP3) is now The new-style LDP will encompass a 10-year plan period, looking 20 years ahead, and will guide new development to meet the environmental, social, economic and housing needs of East Dunbartonshire up to 2038.

3.5. Under the new approach to LDP preparation brought about by the passing of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, the first key stage is the drafting of an Evidence The purpose of the Evidence Report is to improve the quality and effectiveness of a Proposed LDP through the provision of a range of data captured from a wide variety of sources, analysed to best inform the production of LDP content and strategy. The preparation of the LDP3 Evidence Report is now underway.

3.6. Following approval by Council, the completed Evidence Report will be submitted to Scottish Ministers for review, known as the Gate It is anticipated that the Gate Check will conclude in early summer 2025 following confirmation that the evidence set out is adequate to proceed to Proposed Plan preparation. Thereafter, a public call for ideas/sites will be launched, during which suggestions for the content of the Proposed LDP will be sought as well as the submission of housing and other sites to be considered for allocation in the plan. Following public consultation, examination by a Scottish Ministers- appointed reporter of the Proposed Plan is expected to conclude in late 2027, with the adoption and publication of LDP3 set for 2028.

3.7. The new LDP will incorporate all local planning policy on affordable housing provision, the precise content of which has yet to be determined but which is expected to take into account the criteria relating to wheelchair and accessible housing and proximity to centres as set out in section 3 above. LDP3 will also set out an appropriate policy approach relating to housing for older people and specialist housing. This will reflect the outcomes of independent research commissioned by the Council and Health and Social Care Partnership on the housing issues facing the growing population of older people in East Dunbartonshire, including policy and delivery solutions needed to meet such housing need at a local level.

4.1. The key affordability issue in East Dunbartonshire continues to be high house prices. Owner occupation is the predominant tenure in East Dunbartonshire, at 81% of the overall housing stock. House prices in the owner occupied sector remain high. According to the UK House Price Index Scotland, the average house price in East Dunbartonshire was £260,015 in June 2024, compared to the Scottish average of £192,488, a variance of 26%. East Dunbartonshire has the fourth highest average house price in Scotland of all Scottish local authorities. Only Edinburgh, East Lothian, and East Renfrewshire Councils have higher house prices on average.

4.2. NOMIS suggests that the median gross earnings in 2023 for individuals working full time was £42,786 in East Dunbartonshire, higher than the Scottish average of £36,525. This means that an individual on a median income would need to borrow a multiple of around six times their salary to afford an average property in the area. Therefore, there are limited affordable housing options provided by the market for residents of East Dunbartonshire on a modest or low income.

• Median Gross Earnings - £42,786
• Average House Price - £260,01.

5.1. East Dunbartonshire covers nine settlement areas, as seen in Table As of April 2023, the Council had circa 2600 applicants on the Housing List with a housing stock of just over 3700 properties. Demand for each settlement area is shown in Table 2 below, while Graph 1 illustrates the relative demand per property type and area.

View Table 2 - First Choice of Housing – Demand and Stock by Area and Size (April 2023).

Please note that an applicant can choose more than one area to be housed.

Hillhead Housing Association is the main housing provider in the Hillhead area of Kirkintilloch and operate their own housing list. The Association has reported that housing demand for their stock remains strong. The above figure is therefore likely to under represent housing demand for this area.

5.2. Of the overall housing waiting list, the highest level of demand is for Bishopbriggs (Table 2) followed by Bearsden and Apart from Torrance, the villages generally experienced the lowest demand which may be down to their remote locations, low turnover and relatively good supply of affordable housing stock. In particular, the Bearsden and Milngavie market area generally has a limited supply of affordable housing, partly due to the limited extent of land ownership by the Council on which affordable housing might be built. Table 2 also illustrates the acuteness of demand for one bed properties across East Dunbartonshire, but most particularly in Torrance. Bishopbriggs and Bearsden can also be seen to be in very high demand versus supply.

6.1. Of all applicants presently on the Council’s housing list, 50% require a one bed property; around a quarter require two beds and 17% require three beds, as illustrated in Table There appears to be lesser demand for larger four and five bed properties at 5% with the exception of Bishopbriggs, Bearsden and Kirkintilloch which have much higher demand for larger properties compared to supply. Although the demand for larger units may be lower than demand for smaller homes, there is still a real need to provide larger homes to meet the needs of families living in East Dunbartonshire. The turnover of larger properties is very low compared to turnover of smaller properties. This is demonstrated by the fact that during the last three years there were only 16 relets of four bedroom homes while there were 112 applicants on the housing list, with an overall housing supply of 153 four bedroom homes in total.

6.2. In view of the above, East Dunbartonshire requires a mix of all property The Council’s Housing List indicates that one bed properties are in greatest need. Nevertheless, building a high proportion of one bed properties will not give East Dunbartonshire the flexibility to meet people’s varying housing needs in- situ or create a mixed sustainable community.

The target percentages for each size are suggested at Table 3. However, this may need to vary to take cognisance of individual circumstances, client group, location and management issues.

6.3. The Council’s New-Build Affordable Housing Programme anticipates a mix of one bed 20%, two bed 40%, three bed 35% four/five bed 5%. The higher number of three bed units being delivered is due to the low turnover of the limited stock of this size of unit hence applicants are on the waiting list for a long There is also a homelessness and refugee requirement for three and four bed units which are not identified in Table 2 above.

7.1. The Scottish Government issued Guidance on ‘Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans’ (RRTP) in late 2018 following recommendations from the Homeless and Rough Sleeping Action Funding has been allocated by the Scottish Government to support local authorities’ transition to Rapid Rehousing.

7.2. Each Local Authority is required to develop their plan in collaboration, over a planned and costed phase of six years (2019/20 to 2024/25) and is an integral part of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP). The RRTP will end in March 2025, and the Council looks forward to working with the Scottish Government on any new Plan that will be put in place to help eradicate homelessness in East Dunbartonshire.

7.3. A key aim of the RRTP is to reduce the waiting time on the homelessness list, and the Council and RSLs have had some success in meeting this At the start of 2019/20, 25% of applicants had been awaiting an offer of settled accommodation longer than three years. Since 31 March 2022, no homeless households have waited longer than three years to receive an offer of permanent accommodation.

7.4. A key aim of the RRTP is to prioritise the needs of homeless households to enable them to access affordable housing by targeting that a minimum of 50% of total allocations are made to homeless households by social During 2023/24, 109 homeless households were housed by the Council which accounts for 48% of the total 236 lets made by the Allocations Team. A further 66 households were allocated a home by an RSL through the nominations process. Of these, 34 were offered to applicants who had been assessed as homeless which accounts for 41%.

7.5. To further promote RRTP principles to reduce the waiting time on the homelessness list for larger families, 27 temporary accommodation properties were converted from temporary accommodation to mainstream accommodation for existing households. Seventeen households were also assisted to move to accommodation in the private sector via the Rent Deposit Guarantee/Private Sector Scheme.

7.6. New build housing provision has made a significant direct contribution towards alleviating homelessness since the establishment of the RRTP.

7.7. As part of the ongoing commitment to help households experiencing homelessness, a target of 20% for houses and 35% for flats of new let allocations for those experiencing homelessness has been applied to new build housing developments in East Table 4 highlights that over the last three years a significant number of both RSL and Council new build properties were allocated to applicants assessed as being homeless or threatened with homelessness.

2021/22

Housing Provider - Council

• New Build Completions To Date: 88
• Number to Homeless Households: 27.

Housing Provider - RSLs

• New Build Completions To Date: 67
• Number to Homeless Households: 25.

Totals

• New Build Completions To Date: 155
• Number to Homeless Households: 52.

2022/23

Housing Provider - Council

• New Build Completions To Date: 37
• Number to Homeless Households: 18.

Housing Provider - RSLs

• New Build Completions To Date: 63
• Number to Homeless Households: 11.

Totals

• New Build Completions To Date: 100
• Number to Homeless Households: 29.

2023/24

Housing Provider - Council

• New Build Completions To Date: 47
• Number to Homeless Households: 8.

Housing Provider - RSLs

• New Build Completions To Date: 0
• Number to Homeless Households: 0.

Totals

• New Build Completions To Date: 47
• Number to Homeless Households: 8.

During the last three years 172 Council and 130 RSL new build units have been completed. Of these, 53 Council homes and 36 RSL properties were allocated to applicants assessed as being homeless or threatened with homelessness by the Council.

This indicates that 29.5% of all new build lets made during this year to date were allocated to homeless applicants, which sits within the 20% and 35% target for houses and flats respectively.

7.8. Half of Council new build properties are also allocated to transfer list applicants. When these applicants move, they vacate an existing council home – 50%

of these properties are subsequently let to homeless applicants. As such, the true impact on homelessness amounts to a further 25% of the total no of homes completed, or around 40 of new properties over the past three years.

7.9. If the 20% target was to be applied to all housing sites potentially to be developed over the lifetime of the SHIP, at least 200 more homes would be directly allocated to homeless applicants over five years – around 40 per year.

8.1. The Council has its own version of the Scottish Government LIFT New Supply Shared Equity (NSSE) scheme, known as Shared Equity Supply Scheme (SESS). The Council’s scheme is based on the same principles as NSSE, however SESS does not receive grant The discount is generally achieved on the differential between the agreed purchase price and the market value. Properties need to be sold at least 20% below the market value to be affordable to lower income households.

8.2. SESS is primarily aimed at first time However, the Council prioritises applications to ensure that those with the greatest housing need are considered first. This includes:

• People who are homeless or threatened with homelessness and have had a homelessness assessment carried out by the Council
• People with a disability whose current home doesn’t suit their needs
• Residents living in housing that is Below Tolerable Standard
• People leaving the armed forces, or veterans
• People who have experienced a significant change in their circumstances, such as separating households or are subject to mortgage stress.

8.3. To date the Council has sold 40 properties under the SESS The Council is planning on undertaking research into demand for Shared Equity and MMR including the administration of these. The continued success of the scheme is dependent upon broader economic conditions. However, it is likely that the Council will continue to promote SESS in current and future housing developments as an affordable housing tenure.

8.4. Mid Market Rent is another form of affordable housing and to date has been provided solely through Registered Social Landlords in East Tenants generally pay a lower rent than the area’s market rent level, but more than local social housing rents. Starting rents for new Mid Market Rent homes are often similar to the Local Housing Allowance. Mid Market Rent might be suitable for people on incomes that are not quite enough to afford home ownership, or private sector rents. These properties generally come with floorcoverings, blinds, and white goods.

8.5. RSLs will continue to promote Mid Market Rent developments in suitable The Council is considering introducing this tenure option to its existing stock in the medium-term, subject to further detailed consideration and feasibility assessment.

8.6. The LIFT Open Market Shared Equity Scheme (OMSE) is administered by Link Housing Association on behalf of the Scottish The scheme is similar to NSSE and SESS in that it allows eligible applicants to purchase a home at a discounted rate so that it is affordable to them and suitably meets their needs. The fundamental difference is that OMSE allows residents to purchase existing/second hand homes in the open market, while NSSE and SESS specifically relate to new build provision. The Council promotes the Scheme to applicants who indicate an interest in shared equity properties.

8.7. All applicants who complete the Common Housing Register (CHR) application form for housing are asked if they have an interest in intermediate housing Table 5 highlights potential demand from housing list applicants as at August 2023 for intermediate housing options which shows a reasonable demand for all types.

9.1. For a number of years the Council has operated an open market purchase scheme that has played a pivotal role in increasing affordable housing supply since its implementation, focussed on the purchase of homes in areas of high housing Buying on the open market allows the Council to target high demand property types that are difficult to address through new development – such as family homes in Lenzie, Bishopbriggs, Bearsden and Milngavie, where land values and a limited land supply mean the development of new larger affordable homes are less viable. Growing the housing stock also allows the Council to reduce instances of homelessness across the authority. This is demonstrated by the fact that 2023/24, of all the properties let by the Council through open market purchases, 56% of these homes were allocated to those on the Council’s Homeless list. This is a key priority of the LHS.

9.2. As part of the scheme, the Council also targets the purchase of properties within mixed tenure This helps the Council meet its Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) and Energy Efficiency Standards for Social Housing (EESSH) requirements, improving energy efficiency and so helping reduce fuel poverty. During the period 2016/17 to 2023/24, there were 102 open market purchases, and to date there have been nine properties purchased in 2024/25 which has had a positive impact on meeting housing need in the local authority area.

9.3. There are a relatively low number of reported empty private sector homes across the local authority However, an empty home is a wasted asset and can have a negative impact on the surrounding community. East Dunbartonshire Council officers are looking at reporting mechanisms to allow the local authority to trace owners and consider the best route to bring empty properties back into use as sustainable homes.

9.4. Officers are working with the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) to develop its Empty Homes Strategy including attending training, looking at best practise to implement a proactive approach and assessing grants or funding opportunities.

10.1. The Council’s Affordable Housing Investment Programme continues to play a key role in the supply of new-build affordable housing in East Originally comprised of 14 potential development sites, this has since been condensed to nine sites following the approval of the Council’s updated Housing Capital Investment Plan (February 2024). Pre-construction activity continues to progress across each site with planning applications anticipated from late 2024. A summary of the programme is provided in Table 6 below.

10.2. The programme has the potential to deliver approximately 300 new affordable homes over a five year period, and which will deliver a variety of flats, cottage flats and The estimated total development value of the programme is £118.3m. Details of the challenges affecting each site are contained within Table 7.

10.3. The viability of new-build affordable housing development in the social housing sector continues to be significantly impacted by a combination of construction price inflation, increases in regulatory requirements, particularly significant enhancements to energy performance, increased borrowing costs, a reduction in available grant funding and restrictions on rent increases. The Council will continue to liaise with the Scottish Government and other stakeholders to manage and mitigate risks whilst promoting the housing development programme.

10.4. The final part of the Council’s existing Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP1) was completed during this financial year, with 38 new homes at Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch.

10.6. In addition to those sites listed above, proposals for a mixed-use development incorporating affordable housing alongside an Outdoor Pursuits Centre adjacent to the Forth and Clyde canal in Twechar are also being progressed.

10.7. The proposals at Twechar include for the development of 15 affordable units with a mix of cottage flats, a house and two homes designed specifically for wheelchair Planning permission was approved 10 September 2024 and the construction tender is due to complete in late November 2024. Subject to Council approval later this year, the development could start in early 2025.

10.8. The Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) provides funding to support the reuse of brownfield sites, which can provide the catalyst for new development, such as affordable housing. This site has been successful in being awarded £614,925 from the fund towards this project in order to contribute towards the anticipated costs of remediation and preparation for development

10.9. Development and Investment Service who work closely with stakeholders in identifying potential development sites and refurbishment opportunities.

10.10. Through the LDP3 process there will be an exercise to identify future affordable housing sites and this will commence in Spring 2025.

10.11. East Dunbartonshire Council is also working in partnership with a range of private housing developers and has received nine Council rent homes from Dawn Homes at Adamslie Park in Kirkintilloch during 2023/24. The Council has received a further eight affordable homes at Thorn Road, Bearsden from Robertson Homes and are due to receive another 12 units in March 2025.

10.12. The RSL sector has also made a valuable contribution to affordable housing supply over the last few Since April 2019, RSLs have developed a total number of 266 homes throughout East Dunbartonshire. These comprise 211 homes for social rent, 22 shared equity and 33 Mid Market Rent homes. This healthy tenure mix promotes much needed social rented units as well as desirable intermediate housing options. Additionally, it is anticipated that a further 294 RSL homes will be complete during the lifetime of this SHIP.

11.1. In order to deliver affordable housing within the planned timescales, it is important that any development constraints are identified early to allow mitigation measures to be adopted where Officers have been working with our contractors and consultants to identify and mitigate any constraints on the AHIP2 programme described above at Section 10.

11.2. Table 7 highlights known constraints and puts in place potential resolutions and timescales to ensure that any constraints are resolved by the estimated start.

View Table 7 – Development Constraints – Council Sites.

12.1. The development of any new rented homes in East Dunbartonshire will be built to comply with the applicable Building Regulations and will include all the ‘Housing for Varying Needs Standards’ essential features as set out by the Scottish Government’s Guidance (2022). In parallel with the Council’s AHIP2 Programme a Design Guide has been A set of Authority Construction Requirements are being developed as we work through the next detailed design stage and will sit alongside this Design Guide. These provide the standards, policies and regulations that East Dunbartonshire Council expect in their new affordable housing and in any refurbishment projects.

12.2. All new development set out as part of the SHIP, will adhere to new core standards in relation to such aspects as automatic fire suppression systems and carbon free heating The Council will also actively promote new standards, where appropriate, around home working space, EV charging points and balconies in those instances where open space is not possible, and the approach is supported by Planning Policy.

12.3. Under the AHIP2 new construction methods will be assessed for all the sites and viability of using these will be looked The Council have engaged two contractors with two design teams to deliver the AHIP2 as mentioned previously. It is envisaged that there will be collaboration and-sharing of ideas over efficient methods of construction practise amongst other construction issues.

12.4. The Council and RSLs are committed to targeting the development of sustainable, zero carbon homes where this meets the twin aims of reducing fuel poverty and carbon There are two new statutory requirements which support this commitment:

• The Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023
  This prohibits the use of direct emissions heating systems in new buildings applying for a building warrant from 1 April 2024

• The Heat Networks (Scotland) Act
  Local authorities are required to identify potential areas for Heat Network Zones (HNZs). Through the development of the Local Heat and Energy Efficient Strategy (LHEES) consideration will be given for new affordable housing sites to be part of a wider Heat Network Zone.

12.5. The Scottish Government’s Strategy document Housing to 2040 sets out a vision for housing in Scotland to 2040 and a route map to get It aims to deliver our ambition for everyone to have a safe, good quality and affordable home including that all new homes delivered by RSLs and Local Authorities to be zero emissions by 2026. All new homes delivered with grant funding through the AHSP from 1 December 2023 will be prohibited from installing direct emissions heating systems.

Delivery partners will promote sustainable design, energy efficiency measures and renewable heat and energy technologies in all new affordable homes. New development will take account of the most relevant standards and guidance, as well as the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. This work will be informed by the:

• Local Housing Strategy (LHS)
• Climate Action Plan (CAP)
• Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES)
• Testing of options through the market as part of Affordable Housing Investment Programme 2.

12.6. This is reflected in the LHS framework through actions and activities of ‘Priority 2: Achieving housing quality, affordable warmth and net zero ’ The key actions and commitments by local partners for LHS Priority 2 seek to address and eradicate fuel poverty.

12.7. The Council’s own Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP2) will be designed to achieve, as a minimum, Scottish Building Standards Gold Level Aspects 1 and 2 The Council aim to improve on this standard to Passivhaus level where viable. In relation to this the Council are also assessing the space standards as part of the new build programme.

12.8 The Scottish Government’s design policy is set out in Designing Streets and Creating The Council implements the principles set out in these documents through its own policy, Design and Placemaking, which promotes distinctive, safe and pleasant, easy to move around, welcoming, adaptable, and resource efficient places.

12.9 New-style Local Development Plans (see section 5) must encompass all local statutory planning guidance of applicability for the determination of planning applications, meaning that it will no longer be possible to publish separate statutory guidance to support the new LDP. With particular relevance to the determination of housing applications, it is anticipated that the content of the current Design and Placemaking Supplementary Guidance will be updated and incorporated into LDP3 to help to improve the outcomes of the design and application processes.

12.10 The Scottish Government has committed to the concept of 20-minute neighbourhoods through the Programme for Government and National Planning Framework 20-minute neighbourhoods are based on the concept of ‘local living’ by giving people the ability to access the majority of the services and facilities they need daily within a 20-minute walk, and by accessing safe active travel and public transport options. They aim to create communities that are vibrant, diverse, sustainable and supportive of healthy living.

12.11 Access to high quality housing is a key component of successful 20-minute neighbourhoods and helps to underpin the concept of local The availability of a range of housing mix, including different sizes, types, and tenures in an area is therefore an important consideration for supporting local living, enabling people to remain in their local community as circumstances change throughout their lives.

12.12 Action 1.3 in the LHS 2023 states that housing should ‘support the delivery of 20-minute neighbourhoods by considering the potential for placemaking throughout the design and development of new build housing and existing stock.’

12.13 The Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3) will support this by setting out a robust policy framework for local living and 20-minute This will be informed by relevant quantitative and qualitative data on existing housing stock and local housing needs and demands, including a bespoke ‘20-minute neighbourhood mapping tool’ which will allow for detailed analysis of housing data at a neighbourhood level.

13.1. The Scottish Government encourages Local Authorities to over-programme within their SHIP in order to ensure that, where slippages occur, there remains a healthy and viable stock of projects to take Regional variations in the actual delivery of SHIP programmes also means that grant can be reallocated from less to more active areas to support areas of greater activity. Due to the high level of housing need and demand in East Dunbartonshire, it is essential that as many homes are built over the SHIP period as possible.

13.2. The total minimum level of Resource Planning Assumption (RPA) funding for the Council’s strategic local programme for 2025/26 to 2030/31 is £32.895m which represents only a proportion of the overall projected grant requirements for this period of the Grant aid levels were recently revised, which has resulted in a higher per property financial grant contribution being available to the Council and RSLs in East Dunbartonshire.

14.1. The Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) was launched in 2016 to help RSLs and Councils with grant support for the unlocking of sites that will deliver affordable homes in addition to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) and as in line with local authority strategic priorities.

14.2. East Dunbartonshire Council will investigate opportunities to bid for support from the Housing Infrastructure Fund to progress the development of affordable housing where required.

15.1. The Council has budgeted to invest approximately £118.63m in new affordable housing over the lifetime of the SHIP – for all priorities of site This includes an outline assumption of around £38.234m of grant funding towards directly contracted new build, Rental off the Shelf and Off the Shelf Purchases.

15.2. The remaining funding for the programme* is comprised of:

• £3.55m of Ring-Fenced Reserves
• £89.37m of Prudential Borrowing against the HRA 30-year business.

*[note that these figures will be subject to review ahead of the Council’s five-year Housing Capital budget plan in February 2025].

16.1. New legislation in April 2024 means that second and empty homes are now liable to 200% Council Tax compared to a previous discount of 10%. In previous years additional funding from this reserve has been made available to support the delivery of affordable housing to maximise The total cumulative sum available stands at approximately £657,000 as of 2023/24.

16.2. The funds generated from Developer Contributions and from Council Tax Second Home Discount are held in reserve and applied selectively on a site-by-site basis in order to support the viability of new build development projects.

17.1. Local Housing Strategy Guidance (2019) encourages local authorities to understand the needs of the Gypsy and Travellers communities requires local authorities to evidence recent engagement to better understanding their LHS Guidance states that engaging directly with Gypsy and Travellers communities timeously on unauthorised encampments is a proactive way to understand their needs. Engagement over a period of time may be the most effective way of identifying local need as both communities can be in flux

17.2. A ministerial working group established a Gypsy and Travellers Action Plan in December 2017 and links to wider ambitions set out in the National Performance Framework to create a fairer Scotland and stronger and cohesive The life of the Plan was extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic until October 2022. Housing to 2040 the new National vision for housing in Scotland aims to embed the needs of the Gypsy and Travellers communities in housing and planning policy. Through their More Homes Scotland Approach, the Scottish Government introduced the Gypsy and Travellers Accommodation Fund that sits alongside the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) and will support local authorities in delivering quality homes (but not houses) to Gypsy and Travellers communities.

17.3. There is no explicit demand for a Gypsy and Traveller site in East Eight unauthorised sites are used for encampments with an average of three encampments per annum from 2014 to 2019.

17.4. Scotland’s fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) was adopted in February 2023 and includes policies on the accommodation needs of Gypsy and Travellers communities and mirrors the principles of 20-minute The Council’s Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 sets out actions within LHS Priority 3 ‘Supporting People to live independently and well at home’ that aim to improve outcomes for Gypsy and Travellers through ongoing engagement and dialogue.

17.5. Discussion will continue with the Gypsy/Travellers community to ascertain if there is any local need and demand for a site as part of the evidence gathering for The Council continues to liaise with a neighbouring local authority to identify any movements that might exist between council areas that could be identified as housing need.

18.1. The Council is committed to the delivery of wheelchair and accessible homes in all new residential developments provided through the Strategic Housing Investment The Council’s Design and Placemaking Supplementary Planning guidance advises that 5- 10% of any new build development should be wheelchair and accessible housing. In most cases it is expected that the number of wheelchair and accessible dwellings will be 10%. The Housing Service targets this across the SHIP programme, tailoring the balance on each site to context and to local needs. The Council’s own Housing programme targets 10% of homes as being wheelchair accessible or amenity housing.

18.2. The LDP2 contains an all tenure target to underpin and extend the requirements across the private and RSL The Plan proposes the need to provide a minimum of 5- 10% of the total units for each tenure type as wheelchair and accessible housing.

18.3. As part of the Council new build programme, a number of developments will include housing for the ambulant disabled, particularly older This term embraces a wide group of people with a range of mobility problems or lack of agility and strength, but whose physical disability permits them to walk with or without the use of walking aids. The design need is for a home that is easy to move around with a walking frame or sticks or crutches, has a bathroom that can be adapted to their needs and fittings / service controls that are within reach and easy to use.

19.1. During 2019 the Council commissioned research together with the Health and Social Care Partnership in relation to Older People and Specialist Housing in East The research which was conducted with a face-to-face sample of 500 residents indicates that around 41% of older people in East Dunbartonshire have a life limiting condition or disability. Of this overall group:

• 7% have health needs requiring aids and adaptations, which can be met through In Situ solutions or in new mainstream new build developments
• 10% have physical frailties which mean they are unable to get up and down stairs
• 5% are unable to easily access their own property due to the presence of This category has a need for dedicated wheelchair options.

19.2. There is a requirement to ensure that all suitably accessible housing is provided for those most in need of As such, the Council has a set a target of at least 10% of properties to be wheelchair and accessible housing, the target for which is aligned with that proposed in the LDP2.

19.3. Local Housing Strategy 2023-28 Priority 3 aim is ‘Supporting people to live independently and well at home’. As part of the outcomes and actions for this priority the Council will further review the wheelchair space standards in order to determine if the Housing for Varying Needs designs are sufficient to meet the needs of older people and other specialist needs groups. This is being considered as part of the Authority Construction Requirements agreed for the Council’s AHIP2 and has been for the Design Guide for the AHIP2 and as part of the AHIP2 pre-construction work. This has informed the Standard House Types which will be adopted for the programme. The Housing Investment Team continues to liaise with EDC Occupational Therapists on general requirements and on individual specialist cases.

19.4. Work on the new LDP (LPD3) is underway and it anticipates that there will be approximately 100 wheelchair and accessible homes for affordable housing during the next five Additionally, private sector developers will need to adhere to the requirement in the approved LDP2. The design of wheelchair housing will, as a minimum, meet requirements as outlined in Section 3 of the wheelchair accessible Housing Guidance. It is expected that around £15.5m will be invested in wheelchair accessible housing throughout the SHIP period.

20.1. The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 sets out ambitious income-based targets for reductions in child poverty across Scotland by The Act sets out four statutory targets (after all Housing costs) to be achieved by 2030:

• Less than 10% of children are in relative poverty
• Less than 5% of children are in absolute poverty
• Less than 5% of children are in combined low income and material deprivation
• Less than 5% of children are in persistent

20.2. Each local authority is required to publish an annual Local Child Poverty Action Report (LCPAR) to evidence how local actions reduce child poverty in collaboration with the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP). East Dunbartonshire Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde published their first LCPAR in 2019.

20.3. UK Government Official Statistics published in March 2022 outline that East Dunbartonshire was the local authority in Scotland with the lowest proportion of children aged under 16 in absolute low income at 9% and the second lowest relative proportion in relative low income at 11%. A family must have claimed Child Benefit and at least one other household benefit (UC, Tax Credit or Housing Benefit) at any point in the year to be classed as low income in these

20.4. Access to warm and affordable housing is key to tackling child poverty in East The Scottish Government is committed to invest in delivering 110,000 more affordable energy efficient homes by 2032 under its Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP). This is in line with the Council’s commitment.

20.5. The prioritisation of tackling child poverty is at the heart of the AHSP, further strengthening housing planning processes to ensure larger family homes are delivered where they are

20.6. The cost-of-living crisis continues to affect our communities, presenting ongoing challenges despite our proactive efforts to address child poverty through Work within the Child Protection Committee (CPC) strategic partnership is ongoing to implement various actions aimed at mitigating these adverse effects. Additionally, delivering quality family homes through the SHIP remains a crucial part of our strategy to combat child poverty.

20.7. We continue to maximise promotion of living wage, fair work and community benefit in contracts and procurement, via agreed policy and

20.8. In terms of affordable housing, East Dunbartonshire Council through the SHIP will increase the supply of Council House/RSL Social Rented and intermediate Of the new affordable housing supply, it is anticipated that 757 grant funded new build affordable homes will be delivered during the lifetime of the current SHIP. The focus upon achieving the Silver Standard of energy efficiency in new Affordable Housing throughout the previous SHIP has also contributed towards reducing fuel poverty. These measures will be extended further by achieving Gold Standard and through East Dunbartonshire Council’s AHIP2, it is hoped Passivhaus Standard in order to reduce heating bills to negligible amounts.

21.1. In total during the five-year lifetime of the SHIP, 757 potential new homes could be built, of which 723 would be houses for social by either the Council or a RSL and 34 for Mid Market Rent by an In addition, the SHIP targets 125 homes to be purchased on the Open Market by the Council using the Rental off the Shelf subsidy. RSLs may also use the scheme to increase the supply of social housing in the area. As mentioned previously the Housing Supply Target in the LDP2 and LHS is 95 affordable units per annum. The SHIP is approximately double that. Some sites will fall into the low and medium categories and therefore may not progress.

21.2. The highest proportion of new supply is either Council Housing or RSL Social Some tenure types may change in future years given demand for intermediate housing tenures, particularly for sites which are unallocated presently or are currently categorised as being low priority. A breakdown of the projects by settlement area and tenure type is shown in Table 8 below. Note that the anticipated mix of tenure within each site is liable to change as each site passes through the design and development process.

22.1. In the development of the SHIP, the Council’s Development & Investment Service continues to engage with other Council Services and key partner organisations such as Housing Management, Planning, Social Work, Private Developers, RSLs, Tenants’ and residents to ensure that shared priorities and their wider remits are incorporated in the This engagement activity is carried out regularly through several forums including:

• The Tenant Participation Working Group
• RSL Programme Meetings
• Liaison Meetings with Council development colleagues in Planning, Roads/Drainage and other statutory consultees
• Meetings with Developers in relation to Planning

22.2. As part of the consultation process for the SHIP in 2020, the draft document was placed on the Council’s website with comments invited from a range of interested parties including local tenants and A brief summary of key points identified by stakeholders included:

• Preference for future provision to comprise more family homes, particularly three bed houses compared to flats
• Support for intermediate housing options in addition to social rented provision, especially Low Cost Housing to Buy and Shared Equity
• Agreement that amenity housing provision should include particular features to assist vulnerable tenants, principally level access or lift access to all front doors and accessible showers
• Endorsement of the promotion of energy efficiency standards to help reduce fuel poverty and meet climate change, including passivhaus housing
• Support for future housing provision to meet minimum size

22.3. The comments above have been taken into consideration and we are actively using them to inform our We have had stakeholder workshops including HSCP to inform our Design Guide and Construction Requirements for the new programme.

22.4. In preparation and to inform the new LHS 2023- 28, there has been extensive consultation and engagement with all stakeholders. This included an early engagement survey, stakeholder conference and option identification and appraisal workshops.

22.5. We have-started the collective group meetings with the RSLs in East Dunbartonshire and held our first meeting in September This is as a way to continually consult and collaborate on affordable housing delivery and best practise. We plan to meet with the RSLs over the next few months to discuss future plans for delivery in the area.

23.1. In line with The Equality Act 2010, an Equalities Impact Assessment has been prepared in conjunction with the SHIP.

23.2. The aim of the Equalities Impact Assessment is to identify the likely or actual effects of this Strategic Housing Investment Plan on residents and This includes identifying any aspect of the SHIP that could indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally discriminate against the users of our services or our staff. Where there are any potential negative impacts identified, action will be taken to eliminate or mitigate these negative impacts.

23.3. Additionally, a Strategic Environmental Assessment has been carried out on the This involved undertaking a pre-screening assessment of the SHIP in accordance with Schedule 2 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. The pre-screening found that the SHIP itself is considered to have no or minimal environmental impacts, but further consideration would be given to the LHS and LDP2 in relation to new development.

24.1. The key to delivering successful projects and to maximise the provision of affordable housing is through effective partnership working between a range of skilled agencies and Securing the necessary additional funding is fundamental if the SHIP is to be delivered successfully. It is equally essential that commitment is made to the monitoring and management of that funding as forecast project delivery programmes develop. 

24.2. The LHS is reviewed annually and any progress towards delivering the LHS priorities is presented to Since the implementation of the LHS there has been significant progress towards delivering on Priority 1 in relation to the delivery of affordable housing. The Council has regular discussions with RSLs operating in the local authority area which has helped deliver on the key actions of Priority 1.

24.3. Should additional funding be made available and/or new projects are brought forward, discussion will take place with the Council and the Scottish Government to agree funding of the All new projects will be assessed against the Council’s prioritisation methodology.

24.4. Progress on the delivery of affordable housing will be assessed against the range of actions against the LHS outcomes and SHIP investment The results will be used to update the LHS and succeeding years SHIP programme as appropriate.

25.1. It is essential that the SHIP maximises the provision of affordable housing to meet the high level of housing Although housing need and demand primarily can be met through the provision of social rented accommodation, some intermediate tenures may contribute to meeting housing need. The Council has carried out an analysis of potential projects and assessed them accordingly. A number of factors are taken into account including compliance with LHS and Local Development Plan objectives, and deliverability. The scoring criteria is subject to regular review.

25.2. Each project has been prioritised according to the methodology attached as Appendix The prioritisation outcome for each project can be viewed below.

Glasgow Road, Kirkintilloch

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 54
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 54
• Priority: Medium.

Merkland School, Kirkintilloch

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 45
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 45
• Priority: High.

Cleddans Playing Fields, Kirkintilloch

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 51
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 51
• Priority: High.

Whitehill Court, Kirkintilloch

• Developer: Caledonia Housing Association
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 22
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 22
• Priority: High.

High Street Phase 1, Kirkintilloch

• Developer: Clyde Valley Housing Association
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 22
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 19
• Total units: 41
• Priority: High.

High Street Phase 2, Kirkintilloch

• Developer: Clyde Valley Housing Association
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 16
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 16
• Priority: High.

High Street Phase 3, Kirkintilloch

• Developer: Clyde Valley Housing Association
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 16
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 16
• Priority: High.

Fauldhead Road South, Kirkintilloch

• Developer: Hillhead Housing Association 2000
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 16
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 16
• Priority: High.

Fauldhead Road North, Kirkintilloch

• Developer: Hillhead Housing Association 2000
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 41
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 41
• Priority: High.

Meadowburn Avenue, Lenzie

• Developer: To be confirmed
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 10
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 10
• Priority: Low.

Campsie View School, Lenzie

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 27
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 27
• Priority: High.

Beech Road (former Auchinairn Primary), Bishopbriggs

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 63
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 63
• Priority: High.

South Crosshill Road, Bishopbriggs

• Developer: Loretto Housing Association
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 44
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 44
• Priority: High.

Huntershill, Bishopbriggs

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 14
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 14
• Priority: High.

Thorn Road, Bearsden

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 20
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 20
• Priority: High.

Nithsdale Crescent, Bearsden

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 32
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 32
• Priority: High.

Milngavie Road, Bearsden

• Developer: To be confirmed
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 7
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 7
• Priority: Low.

Hunter Road, Milngavie

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 1
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 1
• Priority: Medium.

Milngavie Bowling Club, Milngavie

• Developer: Trust Housing Association
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 5
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 5
• Priority: High.

Craigton Road, Milngavie

• Developer: Link Housing Association
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 30
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 30
• Priority: Medium.

Campsie Golf Club, Lennoxtown

• Developer: To be confirmed
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 5
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 5
• Priority: Low.

Lennox Castle Hospital, Lennoxtown

• Developer: To be confirmed
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 30
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 30
• Priority: Low.

Lennoxlea, Lennoxtown

• Developer: To be confirmed
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 13
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 13
• Priority: Low.

Derrywood Road, Milton of Campsie

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 43
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 43
• Priority: Medium.

Kelvindale Nursery, Torrance

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 11
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 11
• Priority: Medium.

Torrance Main Street, Torrance

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 12
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 12
• Priority: High.

East of Ferrymill Motors, Torrance

• Developer: To be confirmed
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 8
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 8
• Priority: Low.

Kelvin View, Torrance

• Developer: Caledonia Housing Association
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 33
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 33
• Priority: High.

Glen Shirva Road, Twechar

• Developer: Castle Rock Edinvar
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 15
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 15
• Total units: 30
• Priority: Medium.

Canalside, Twechar

• Developer: East Dunbartonshire Council
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 15
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 15
• Priority: High.

Rental Off the Shelf, All Localities

• Developer: N/A
• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 125
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 0
• Total units: 125
• Priority: High.

TOTALS

• Council House/RSL Social Rent Units: 846
• Shared Equity Units: 0
• Mid Market Rent Units: 34
• Total units: 880.