New Affordable Homes on the Way for Balmaha

New affordable homes are on the way for the Loch Lomondside village of Balmaha, it was revealed this week.

Rural Stirling Housing Association has begun work on building 20 homes and two plots for self-builders.

The development costing around £5.8 million is due for completion around next spring.

Rural Stirling said the Balmaha development – designed by John Gilbert Architects and being built by CCG (Scotland) – represented the Association’s “enduring and ambitious commitment” to building affordable homes for rent and low-cost ownership.

In launching the development, the housing association paid a warm tribute to the late Joe Twaddle, a Balmaha resident whose vision was to bring affordable homes to Balmaha.

RSHA Chairperson Fiona Boath said: “We know that the communities we serve are fully behind us when it comes to building new affordable homes where people want to live. There is a consistent and pressing need for housing in these areas, and we remain committed to our mission to carry on building.”

Balmaha sits on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond and is a village of remarkable beauty with a scenic vista across the loch. It is an enduringly popular tourist destination for visitors from Glasgow as well as walkers on the ever-popular West Highland Way.

It retains a vibrant community spirit thanks to the East Loch Lomond Community Trust, which exists to “identify and focus on projects of specific relevance to its area”.

The Trust is playing a key role in the Balmaha development with four homes for local workers in the new development.

The Project is supported by the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme, the Scottish Land Fund and a Rural Housing Grant.

In addition to the four properties designated for East Loch Lomond Community Trust, the development comprises 10 homes for rent, which includes semi-detached houses and cottage flats, plus six houses for “New Supply Shared Equity”.

RSHA Chief Executive Donna Birrell added: “The Balmaha community invited RSHA to help it address the lack of affordable housing in the village some time ago.

“Like RSHA, this community is completely focused on the need to bring affordable housing to Balmaha, and we have created over many years a close working relationship with the East Loch Lomond Community Trust, who are dedicated servants of the community. Working together, we have overcome obstacles and barriers to make these homes a reality.’

“We particularly want to pay tribute to the late Joe Twaddle, whose formidable campaigning to develop more affordable homes in the village was truly-trail-blazing. Sadly, Joe did not live to see the project come to fruition, but his wife, Betty, is still involved in the community and was represented at the opening event

“We further recognise the important support our partners are giving in this undertaking, such as the Scottish Government, Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and Stirling Council.

Councillor Willie Ferguson, Convenor of Stirling Council’s Housing Committee, helped get the new development underway.

Councillor Ferguson said: “I’m delighted to see the opening of this new development in Balmaha led by the hard work of Rural Stirling Housing Association.

“We recognise the need for high-quality, affordable homes across the breadth of the Stirling Council area, especially in rural areas, and supporting this development is a key part of our Strategic Housing Investment Plan. We’ve doubled our ambitions to deliver 900 new homes throughout Stirling over the next five years, and this development will contribute to this aim.

“Strong collaboration with key partners such as Rural Stirling Housing Association is essential, and these much-needed new homes will be warmly welcomed by the local community.”

CCG (Scotland) Managing Director, David Wylie, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Rural Stirling Housing Association with the delivery of this development, which will bring much-needed affordable homes to Balmaha. The project has been a long time in the making for the community, but thanks to our advanced construction methods, the new, highly energy-efficient homes will be constructed at pace and ready for habitation next spring.”