The right to buy council housing in Perth and Kinross is set to be suspended for the next 10 years.
In a bid to protect its limited stock, the local authority is seeking approval for a ”pressured area” designation.
The council was awarded the status in 2007 for affordable rented properties in 21 letting areas across Highland Perthshire and greater Perth, but this was set to run out this year.
A consultation was held late last year among the tenants affected by the proposals, with a total of 2,878 surveys distributed.
The results of this showed that 56% of the 277 respondents were in favour of the plans, while 36% were against them and 8% remained undecided.
Independent organisations, including housing associations and registered social landlords, were also consulted and unanimously agreed to the proposals.
Members of Perth and Kinross Council’s housing and health committee will be asked to agree that the entire local authority area is designated as a pressured area with immediate effect from February 1.
This will mean that all council residents who entered their tenancy on or after September 30 2002 will not be given the right to buy their property. The same applies for those who have transferred to their present home on or after this date.
It is hoped that extending the suspension on right to buy will help ease the pressure on social housing in Perth and Kinross and ensure the situation does not get any worse.
The legislation is a result of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010, which brought in reforms for tenants. Those who already had the right to buy were able to continue on existing terms, while new tenants were prevented from taking part in the scheme.
Housing and health convener Councillor Peter Barrett said: ”The suspension of right to buy through pressured area status would help us preserve the scarce supply of affordable housing to rent in Perth and Kinross.
”There is far greater demand for social rented and other forms of affordable housing than there is supply throughout the Perth and Kinross area. There are thousands of people in Perth and Kinross who are in housing need and that is why this move is important.
”The council is working very hard to increase the amount of affordable housing available in Perth and Kinross but that job is made very difficult when social housing stock is being sold.
”I would like to thank all of our tenants who took part in the consultation their views are very important to us,” added Mr Barrett.
”The results show that the majority fully understand the reasons for this course of action and support our aims. I would like to thank all of our tenants who took part in the consultation.”