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Churches giving up land for housing

Scotland's churches are giving up some of their own land to help solve the shortage of affordable homes in Scotland.

In an initiative spearheaded by Scottish Churches Housing Action (SCHA), land for 370 new homes has been identified in places as diverse as Pollokshields, Glasgow and Wester Ross - and they say a further 40 sites are already in the pipeline. It is thought there is a potential for an estimated capital investment of £35m in the initiative over the next 10 years.

A new church in Leith, Edinburgh, with flats built above it was one of the first to be created under the scheme. The United Reformed Church in Duke Street was completed in April after the old building was demolished and rebuilt to incorporate a smaller church and 22 affordable flats for rent by the Port of Leith Housing Association.

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) is lending its support by hosting a Make it Happen conference to examine how to turn surplus Church property into affordable housing and a motion has been lodged in the Scottish Parliament, also supporting the scheme.

Full story at The Herald.