New housing development completes in Balloch, Inverness

• Mixed-tenure homes help meet Inverness’s growing housing need
• The Highland Council and HHA partnership delivers an attractive new community

The first phase of Balloch’s highly-anticipated new housing development, located four miles east of Inverness, is officially complete and is now ready to welcome new residents.

Delivered by local contractor IBI Joiners Ltd, the development is part of a joint initiative between Highland Housing Alliance (HHA) and The Highland Council to expand access to affordable housing across the region. The site offers a mix of homes for mid-market rent (MMR) and low-cost home ownership, supporting the Council’s commitment to meeting diverse housing needs.

HHA has now taken handover of 12 semi-detached properties at the site. These two- and three-bedroom homes will be offered at MMR, with rental rates positioned between social housing and open market rents. This tenure is designed to support those who may not qualify for social housing but are priced out of the private rental sector.

The Highland Council are delighted to present 33 properties for Council Rent consisting of 4 two-bedroom wheelchair accessible bungalows, 13 family homes ranging in size from two to four bedrooms, and 16 one- and two- bedroom cottage flats.  The 8 flats on the ground floor have all been designed to be wheelchair accessible.  A further 4 semi-detached three-bedroom family properties are offered for sale via Scottish Government’s LIFT Low Cost Home Ownership Scheme, administrated on the Council’s behalf by Highland Residential.

Located within the popular and established Balloch community, the development enjoys excellent access to local amenities including a leisure centre, schools, and public transport - making it a well-connected and desirable location for individuals and families alike.

All homes have been built to a high specification with modern fixtures and fittings and bright, attractive interiors. Each home benefits from private garden space and external power points should an EV Charger be required.  The development is set within landscaped grounds incorporating improved access into the Community Woodland to the north of the site, further enhancing the sense of place and community. 

The development was funded by Scottish Government grant totalling £7,363,000 with the remainder funded by The Highland Council, Inverness and Highland City Region Deal, and Highland Housing Alliance.

The first residents will begin moving into their homes from 26 June.

Gail Matheson, Chief Executive at HHA, said: “The delivery of these new homes in Balloch marks an important milestone in our mission to provide more high-quality housing across the Highlands. Our strong and long-standing partnership with The Highland Council plays a key role in making this possible, helping us to deliver a diverse range of housing that reflects the needs of different age groups, income levels, and family situations across the region.”

Cllr Glynis Campbell Sinclair, The Highland Council - Housing and Property Committee Chair, said:  “I am delighted that Highland Council, working in partnership with Highland Housing Alliance and Highland-based builders and contractors, has successfully delivered the first phase of this much-anticipated housing development in Balloch.  The new properties are located in a sought-after area of Inverness and provide a welcome addition to the Council’s commitments to provide sustainable and energy efficient affordable social rental homes.

“Equally, the diverse range of property types and sizes included within the development makes these homes suitable for those with additional accessibility needs, in addition to families and individuals.

“The Highland Council, as part of its commitment to meeting the Highland housing challenge, will continue to work collaboratively alongside partners to build a portfolio of housing stock to enable people to have viable options available to them.”

Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan said:  “Housing of the right type in the right place, can have a transformational impact. The delivery of these high quality, energy efficient, affordable homes will support people to stay in the communities they grew up in as well as help local businesses to retain and attract employees. 

“The Scottish Government is pleased to have supported this development with more than £5 million in grant funding and we will continue to work with partners to increase the delivery of more affordable homes. This is all part of our work to deliver 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032, with at least 70% for social rent and at least 10% in our rural and island communities.”

All images by Paul Campbell Photography.