Housing projects to go ahead despite lack of funding guarantee

Housing in the areas of Hoofields in Lerwick, Brae and Virkie is set to go ahead even though there is no guarantee of government funding, it emerged at a meeting of the Full Council today. The meeting heard that 76 properties in Hoofields, 10 in Brae and four in Virkie will be built.

Housing chief Chris Medley said that ground work at Hoofields had been tendered for, and the contract documents for Brae had been prepared, with the area just waiting for decrofting.

Convener Sandy Cluness said he hoped Shetland would get its share of government funding, although “if we have to use our reserves we have to use them”.

South Mainland councillor Allison Duncan said it was very important for the schemes to go ahead as there were 1,000 on the housing waiting list. He recently met Scottish housing minister Alex Neill in Edinburgh and said he was “quietly optimistic” money would be forthcoming.

Lerwick North councillor Caroline Miller said there was a “fundamental need for affordable housing”.