"Right to buy" restricted in North Ayrshire

Pressured area status for social housing in 11 letting areas

News, 15 May 2008

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Social housing tenants' right to buy has been suspended in areas of North Ayrshire to prevent serious shortages of affordable housing.

Ministers have accepted North Ayrshire Council's request to apply "pressured area" status to 11 letting areas. The council is the ninth to apply successfully for pressured area status under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

Tenants within these areas whose tenancies commenced since 30 September 2002 will have the right to buy their council or housing association house suspended for five years.

The areas are Castlepark, Girdle Toll & Lawthorn (including Chapeltoun), Harbourside, Irvine East, Woodlands, Largs, Fairlie, Skelmorlie, West Kilbride, Dreghorn and Drybridge. An estimated 1,237 tenancies are affected.

Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell said the Scottish Government wanted to explore ways of achieving greater local flexibility in the operation of the right to buy. "We are also committed to introducing legislation to end the right to buy for new build social houses and our recent announcement of a £25 million incentive package will help to kick start a new generation of council house building in Scotland."

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