Our aim is to develop 6 affordable housing units for Ardgour, based in Clovullin beside the Primary School. During 2026 we are conducting feasibility works, negotiating the acquisition of the land.
Estimated Price
1750000
AGDT hopes to provide approx. 6 affordable housing for rent in the area to address chronic housing shortages, as agreed in the Ardgour Place Plan, and evidenced in the Urram / Communities Housing Trust Housing Needs Analysis 2024 for West Lochaber. The local landowner, Mr McLean has agreed to sell land to the community for housing beside the Ardgour Primary School. AGDT will raise the funds to purchase and then build the housing.
This project will eventually help address the chronic housing shortage in the area as defined in the Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2025 -2030. The Council declared a Housing Challenge in 2024. One of our Trustees attended the Councils Housing Summit in 2024 and the Trust hopes to unlock this site for approximately 6 units in the village of Clovullin, Ardgour.
In 2024 local care charity Urram SCIO commissioned the Communities Housing Trust to conduct an online & hard copy questionnaire-led Housing Needs Analysis for West Lochaber which included Ardgour and local people in the area who would consider moving to Ardgour if housing was available. Housing is a key issue for our area. 41 respondees were in unsuitable accommodation, with 53% looking for affordable housing and 25% looking for self-build so further market analysis is required for Ardgour.
The Ardgour Community Council and AGDT have joined forces to run a locally focussed housing needs survey (see https://www.ardgourcommunitiestogether.net/survey) to help inform this project. This showed that 35 people are looking to change their housing circumsances in the next 5 years - with 8 in immediate need. The majority of respondees were looking for 2-bed units.
During 2023 a detailed community consultation took place which resulted in only the second ever Local Place Plan being adopted by Highland Council. This involved numerous public meetings in the two local community halls and a detailed questionnaire.
One of the four chapters is entirely focussed on housing solutions including self -build, affordable rent and affordable purchase. The Place Plan received funding from the Glensanda Fund as well as Ardgour Community Council. This project is the best defined and most significant housing development in the Ardgour Place Plan.
We know there is support for this project because it is clearly explained in the Place Plan and was a product of multiple local community consultations and meetings.
It has the full support of the Ardgour Community Council (two community councillors serve on our Board of Trustees)
We would also point to the Highland Councils own findings about the need for more housing and the results of the West Lochaber Housing Needs Analysis of 2024.
Our current housing survey does not conclude until 16th November but any relevant results will be used to help shape the size and scope of this development by testing anecdotal evidence about the types of households we need to build for.
The Council’s own Housing Manager, Helen Cameron comments “We would concur that there is a need for additional homes in the Ardgour area and would support delivery of homes for social rent / other tenures as you see would meet the community’s aspirations.”
On 17th September 2025 the Scottish Land Fund awarded us £20,940 to begin work immediately on the first phase of the feasibility. In January 2026 Lochaber Members of Highland Council awarded £11,600 of Community Regeneration Funds to the project and with match funding from AGDT we are forging ahead with outline planning, land valuation and ground feasibilities worth over £35,000.
Our aim will be to secure full planning permission in 2026 and then acquire the land from Ardgour Estate with the support of the Scottish Land Fund.
In 2027 we will identify a contractor to construct the homes and secure the necessary capital for the project - ideally beginning construction before the end of 2027, and making the houses available to rent by the end of 2028 or early 2029.
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