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Election 2021: Leading SNP member and candidate for Inverness and Nairn, Fergus Ewing leads part two of our exclusive ongoing series of reports into some of the main issues facing the Highlands


By Scott Maclennan

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SNP candidate Fergus Ewing.
SNP candidate Fergus Ewing.

Carrying on up until the election we will ask the candidates how they will tackle some of the major problems faced by the north. Yesterday Ariane Burgess of the Greens offered her solutions to the twin problems of housing shortages and depopulation, now Fergus Ewing is here to the same for his party.

Inverness and Nairn are having no problem attracting or keeping people as the constituency projects a population increase.

However, that presents its own problems with thousands of people on waiting lists for social housing and a number of developments yet to come online.

Though some areas look to record a steep decline in population over the coming decade Inverness will grow by 4.5 per cent while Nairn will rise by 4.4 per cent.

That is likely to place even greater demand on housing in the area and could yet force prices up with local developers like Tulloch Homes reporting a 12 per cent rise in interest for homes in the north.

Mr Ewing was asked what he would do about the issues of depopulation and housing shortages if he is elected.

He said: “I think we can all agree and recognise that there is a problem surrounding depopulation in the Highlands, particularly with our young people.

“This has been an issue that has been facing us for many years now, and is highlighted more with the issues Brexit has presented many businesses and communities with when trying to retain people from the EU to help with the running of many of our industries such as tourism.

“Keeping our young people, and their talents, within this region requires more than just opportunities to get on the housing ladder, but also access to good education, job opportunities and a quality of life that will keep them here.

“We’ve seen progress with this in recent years with an example of the University of the Highlands and Islands offering many degrees and courses that can keep students, and also bring students from other regions, into the area to earn their degree.

“It also allows for more flexible online working offering an education service that many young people in our most rural and remote communities have the ability to access and learn from their own home.

“Many of us still feel the impacts of the housing crisis after the right to buy policy was brought in by Thatcher’s government allowing many council homes to be bought at very low prices but the demand for the creation of more was not met.

“Since the SNP took office in 2007, we have tried to address this issue and we’ve delivered over 96,750 affordable homes across Scotland. In our manifesto we are going further once again with a building target of 100,000 homes – 70 per cent of which will be built for social rent.

“We’ve also introduced schemes such as the first time buyer’s grant which has been extremely popular with young people and allows them help with up to £25,000 to help them towards their first deposit if they can save at least 5% of their deposit themselves.

“This makes the possibility of getting on the property ladder more achievable for young people, particularly those who may be a single person or indeed have parents or guardians who don’t have expendable cash to help them with their deposit.”

Catch up with yesterday’s report on the Greens’ solution to these problems and check back in tomorrow to read what Scottish Labour’s Rhoda Grant would do about it.


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