The Council has developed an Interim Local Housing Strategy 2010-2013. This was approved by Committee on 13 April 2010, and a copy can be found here (660KB).
We have made an assessment of Moray’s housing market. This assessment has helped us to form a view of the problems local people have with Moray’s housing market. We have organised these problems into 4 themes. We have listed what we think are the main issues. We have listed the main actions we plan to take, to make the housing system work better.
The Council is responsible for the preparation of a Local Housing Strategy (LHS) which assesses housing needs in the area, across all tenures - not just Council housing. Although the Council produces it, it is a result of working together with other housing providers, services within the Council, agencies such as NHS Grampian and the public. It is a planning document. Its purpose is to set out how we intend to tackle housing problems within Moray. It sets out what needs to be done to alleviate the housing problems in Moray, the resources that are needed and the time in which the various tasks need to be completed.
Housing Needs Study
The findings from the Housing Needs Study in 2002 informed the Local Housing Strategy and the Supplementary Guidance to Developers on Affordable Housing and the preparation of the Council’s request for Pressured Area Status to restrict the Right to Buy in specific parts of Moray.
Housing Needs studies need to be repeated to assess the extent to which the pattern of needs in an area have changed over a period of time. The Council received its latest Housing Needs Study in April 2007.
The report identifies key economic and demographic drivers for Moray. It analyses housing market trends within the private sector, the private rented sector and the social rented sector in Moray. It concludes that there will be an under supply of 219 affordable units per year between 2007 and 2010. If this is addressed over a long period the under supply is 160 units per year. Taken with other housing needs assessments published by Communities Scotland, the report underlines the shortfall of affordable housing in Moray and identifies that the level of affordability related housing need in Moray has increased since 2001. Sensitivity analyses were carried out and indicate that the minimum level of shortfall to 2015 would be in the region of 100 houses per year.
Strategic Housing Investment Plan
Strategic Housing Investment Plans were prepared by local authorities for the first time in 2007. The SHIP sets out how investment in affordable housing will be directed over the next 5 years to achieve the outcomes relating to affordable housing in the Local Housing Strategy. We develop a new SHIP each year, in partnership with local Housing Associations and the Scottish Government.
Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers in Grampian
This research was jointly commissioned by Moray, Aberdeen, and Aberdeenshire Councils. The recommendations within the report
are those of the researchers. The report was considered by Communities Committee on 1st December 2009. Download the executive summary or the full report. 
Find out more about Gypsy/Travellers.
A household is said to be in fuel poverty if it has to spend more than 10% of its income to heat the home to an acceptable level. The Scottish House Condition Survey 2002 estimates that 21% (8,000) of households in Moray are in fuel poverty. For more information on fuel poverty click here.
The current LHS was approved by the Council in April 2004.
All sections of the document were assessed as 'Good' by Communities Scotland.
Download documents here:
Homelessness Strategy 2010 - 2015
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 required local authorities to carry out an assessment of homelessness and to submit a strategy for preventing and alleviating homelessness. Scottish Government guidance has since stated homelessness strategies, together with housing support strategies, should be integrated into the Local Housing Strategy. The Council, however, in recognising the importance of tackling homelessness has produced a Homelessness Strategy to cover the period 2010 –2015.
The Strategy re-affirms our commitment to preventing and alleviating homelessness in all its forms.
The Moray Council produced its first Homelessness Strategy in March 2003 to cover a five year period. The Homelessness Strategy 2010-2015 seeks to build on the achievements of the first Homelessness Strategy.
View more information on homelessness.
Contact: Homelesness Strategy & Development Manager telephone 01343 563465
The introduction of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 gave all Local Authorities a duty to produce a Strategy for Tenant Partipation. Tenant Participation is about tenants taking part in decision making processes and influencing decisions about housing policies, conditions and related services. View more information on our Tenant Participation Strategy or
on tenant participation and how you can get involved.