Housing Minister Margaret Burgess has hailed an Angus community’s efforts to redevelop a former school site.
She was speaking during a visit to FriockHub in Friockheim where she also announced a £25 million fund to build 500 affordable homes in the Scottish countryside.
She said: “We are taking every opportunity to help boost the number of affordable homes across the country and the redevelopment of this site is a great example of what can be achieved when partners come together in collaboration.
“Not only is this project bringing back to life existing buildings, but it demonstrates real engagement, local decision making and community empowerment, and I’m delighted to have had the opportunity to have seen the outcome for myself today.”
Ms Burgess said the £25m is expected to boost the supply of affordable homes in rural areas during the next three years by helping build new houses and refurbish existing buildings.
The fund is open to bodies, including affordable housing providers, community-led groups and private landowners, and offers grants and loans to cover the capital costs of housing projects.
She added: “Good quality, affordable housing is essential to help attract and retain people in Scotland’s remote and rural communities.
“We know building affordable housing in rural areas presents different challenges compared to urban areas, which is why we are ensuring this fund is open to rural interests, including community bodies, private landlords and landowners.”
FriockHub received £1 million from the Big Lottery Fund Scotland in January to convert the former Eastgate School.
The hub will provide business units for rent, a fitness suite, sports hall and meeting rooms.
Three new affordable homes for rent are also being built by the council on adjacent land not required for the community hub.
The council is working with the community to transfer the building to local community ownership.
The community asset transfer plans were agreed in principle in 2013 and Friockheim Community Hub Ltd (FCH) was set up to progress local plans for the development.
A recommendation for final approval of the transfer will be considered by the communities committee on March 1.
Dougie Pond, chairman of FCH, said the community centre “will in time become the beating heart of the village”.