Highlands Green Energy Investment to Build 1,000 Homes
More than 1,000 new homes are set to be built in northern Scotland as part of a £20bn green energy grid upgrade targeting the UK’s renewable goals. SSEN Transmission is collaborating with local councils to develop these homes and refurbish unoccupied ones, aiming to provide affordable housing and support a workforce needed for energy projects. The initiative has been applauded for integrating community benefits into renewable infrastructure development, emphasizing flexible and equitable economic sharing in the region.
A substantial development project in northern Scotland is set to construct over 1,000 new homes linked to a £20bn investment in grid infrastructure.
This initiative by SSEN Transmission, a subsidiary of SSE, aligns with the UK’s green energy targets and involves collaboration with local councils and housing associations in the Highlands.
The plan aims to provide new housing and refurbish existing properties in rural areas hosting renewable energy projects like windfarms.
With a £20bn spending target by 2030 for maintaining the electricity grid and channeling power from new windfarms, SSEN Transmission expects to employ thousands in the Highlands and islands like the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland.
The workforce might peak at 5,000 by 2027, and housing will be addressed through long-lease tenancies and the renovation of derelict properties.
This 'pathfinder investment mechanism' will aid local affordable housing and leave a lasting legacy for social landlords after project completion.
Scotland’s housing minister and local council leaders have welcomed this policy, highlighting flexibility in energy sector community benefits.
The scheme represents a significant step towards connecting energy investment with local housing needs, contrasting views on sharing profits from renewable energy.
RenewableUK and local political figures like MP Torcuil Crichton stress the importance of equitable community benefits, mindful that longer-term profits from energy infrastructure should also be shared with local communities.
This initiative by SSEN Transmission, a subsidiary of SSE, aligns with the UK’s green energy targets and involves collaboration with local councils and housing associations in the Highlands.
The plan aims to provide new housing and refurbish existing properties in rural areas hosting renewable energy projects like windfarms.
With a £20bn spending target by 2030 for maintaining the electricity grid and channeling power from new windfarms, SSEN Transmission expects to employ thousands in the Highlands and islands like the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland.
The workforce might peak at 5,000 by 2027, and housing will be addressed through long-lease tenancies and the renovation of derelict properties.
This 'pathfinder investment mechanism' will aid local affordable housing and leave a lasting legacy for social landlords after project completion.
Scotland’s housing minister and local council leaders have welcomed this policy, highlighting flexibility in energy sector community benefits.
The scheme represents a significant step towards connecting energy investment with local housing needs, contrasting views on sharing profits from renewable energy.
RenewableUK and local political figures like MP Torcuil Crichton stress the importance of equitable community benefits, mindful that longer-term profits from energy infrastructure should also be shared with local communities.
