Our regeneration activities ultimately seek to deliver the following:
- housing in good physical condition, of the right tenure, type, size and design
- quality environments where streets and open spaces are well designed and maintained
- the range and level of employment opportunities are sufficient for the area to have a good proportion of economically active households, and good levels of educational attainment
- people living within the area have a sense of belonging and feel safe living within the area
- a good mix of households in an area where households will choose to stay for extended periods
Taken together, these factors contribute to making an area either a desirable or an undesirable place to live, and will translate directly into the level of demand for housing.
We have a number of approaches to regeneration as outlined below.
Stock rationalisation
There has been a recognition that particular stock types continue to prove unpopular and difficult to let, while others prove unpopular as a result of their location. Over the years selective demolition programmes have been undertaken.
Generally, communities in the south of the authority have been affected by declining populations as a result of the retraction of the traditional industries in the area. Whilst, in the north of the authority, demolition has largely been undertaken to a particular stock type.
Regeneration and development
The Strategic Housing Investment Programme (SHIP) comprises a range of activities designed to assist in the regeneration of disadvantaged areas, and as a result, help assist residents to remain within their own communities through the provision of a range of affordable housing options.
The funding attached to the development programme is managed by the Housing Investment Division of the Scottish Government who provide grants to Registered Social Landlords and private developers to deliver new build properties in line with the Council’s priorities as set out in its SHIP.
In this way, sites that are cleared through stock rationalisation, in areas where there is a continued demand for housing, are made best use of through joint working between the Council and developer partners to ensure that any proposals for new housing meet the needs of the local, and in-coming, population. For example, in Longpark in central Kilmarnock, unpopular long-term void stock was demolished and a phased programme of redevelopment was undertaken.
Council house new build programme
Find out about our council house new build programme.