Fife Council is to buy four brand new family homes in a bid to meet high demand.
The three-bedroom properties in High Valleyfield will help reducing the waiting list for families in need of larger rental houses in west Fife.
The houses are within a single terraced block in Catherines Wynd, said to be a popular area.
Housing spokesperson Judy Hamilton said the pressure on the council’s housing service is relentless.
This is despite Fife having one of the UK’s largest social housebuilding programmes, delivering over 7,400 houses since 2012.
The Labour councillor said: “To help meet that increasing demand, it’s vital we continue to engage with private sector landowners, land agents and developers, as well as developing land and buildings the council already owns.
Council decision to buy new homes is ‘value for money’
The decision to buy was agreed in private during the council’s cabinet committee on Thursday.
And Ms Hamilton added: “In this case, I’m pleased we have agreed to acquire these much-needed houses that can be quickly allocated to waiting families.
“There are no council housing developments proposed for the village in the next few years and the acquisition of these high-quality homes represents value for money for our affordable housing programme.”
Fife Council declared a housing emergency in March.
The move followed a cut to Scottish Government funding for the affordable housing programme.
And councillors raised concerns over the impact it would have on the number of affordable homes the council could provide.
Conversation