FIFE Council say their decision to buy four new houses in High Valleyfield will help reduce the waiting list for families needing larger properties to rent.

The village is in an area of high demand and the cabinet committee gave the go-ahead last week to purchase the three-bedroom properties in a single block on Catherines Wynd.

Housing spokesperson, Cllr Judy Hamilton, said: "Despite having one of the UK's largest social house-building programmes, delivering over 7,400 houses since 2012, the pressure on our housing services is relentless.

"To help meet that increasing demand, it's vital that we continue to engage with private sector landowners, land agents and developers as well as developing land and buildings that the council already own.

Dunfermline Press: Housing spokesperson, Councillor Judy Hamilton. Housing spokesperson, Councillor Judy Hamilton. (Image: Fife Council)

"In this case I'm pleased that we have agreed to acquire these much needed houses that can be quickly allocated to waiting families who need larger or alternative homes.

"There are no council housing developments proposed for the village in the next few years and the acquisition of these high quality homes represents value for money for our affordable housing programme."

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Cllr Graeme Downie, who represents the West Fife and Coastal Villages ward, said: "More council houses in the villages is something I've been harassing them for so it's good news.

"It's important we build as many homes as we can and look for opportunities, where they exist, to add to the council housing stock through buying properties.

"In this case we have another four in High Valleyfield, which is good for the village."

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Fife Council declared a housing emergency in March, raising concerns with the Scottish Government about the cut in funding for Fife's Affordable Housing Programme and the impact it would have on the overall number of new homes the council and the Fife Housing Association Alliance can provide.

Cllr Downie said that, while buying properties can help council tenants to get a roof over their heads, a change of ownership doesn't increase the housing stock.

He continued: "The council, quite rightly, look for ways to add to the homes they have but the only way we can really tackle the housing crisis is by building more houses.

"We just need a lot more housing but that's been made more difficult by the Scottish Government's 26 per cent cut in the budget for building affordable homes."