Hope Cohousing—a community interest company—is working to establish a small cohousing project for older people in St Margaret’s Hope, Orkney, as a lasting community benefit. Six new, eco-aware, affordable rental homes will be built for people wanting to live independently and build a supportive community. The project will have shared amenities, a garden….and chickens.
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Click for our latest (March) Newsletter.
In the news
Scotland’s future starts with social housing
Richard Meade, the new chief executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, has called for social housing to be treated as a cornerstone of government policy. Speaking at the SFHA’s Annual Conference, he argued that success “on health, on education, on environment, on social justice, on economic growth, or any objective for Scotland whatsoever” can only be achieved if they start with housing. This will mean building 15,693 affordable homes every year throughout this parliamentary term. Last year just 3,600 social homes were completed [see below]. Click to read the article in Scottish Housing News. [June 12, 2026]
New statistics confirm falling supply, rising need and widespread housing quality failures
The Housing Statistics for Scotland, 2024-25 have just been published. They show a drop in new homes (3% down on the previous year). This is the lowest level of new housing for seven years (aside from the pandemic‑affected year of 2020–21). Sadly, Orkney appears to have one of the lowest percentages of local authority rental homes in Scotland. In addition, around 10% of dwellings in Orkney are either vacant or used as second homes. The only place to beat Orkney was Na h-Eileanan Siar. [May 27, 2026]
New data shows Scotland heading for a ‘housing catastrophe’
New research undertaken for Homes for Scotland (HFS) indicates that unless there is immediate Government action, housing completions could fall to just 5,000 per annum by 2031, compared to the 19,797 homes completed in 2024. The problem results from major failures in planning policies and in the National Planning Framework 4 of 2023. There simply isn’t enough land appearing in the pipeline, which will lead to a chronic undersupply of suitable sites. Click to read more about the ‘housing catastrophe in Scottish Housing News [March 19, 2026].
The Scottish Government has built 250,000 fewer homes than it pledged in 2007. The new SNP Government had promised around an extra 10,000 homes pa. They described this as “achievable and necessary”. The result was a decrease of 26% by 2024-5. Thanks, in significant part, to government failures, there has been a collapse in housebuilding in Scotland. For a detailed analysis, see: Housing the Future. How Scotland can build again. [March 24, 2026].
Why housing for older women is an economic issue
For many older women, later life is shaped not by security but by structural economic inequality. They are significantly more likely to:
- Have lower lifetime earnings
- Have taken career breaks for unpaid care
- Rely on smaller pensions
- Live alone in later life
Click to read Hanover Scotland’s CEO Angela Currie’s call for action in Scottish Housing News. [March 9, 2026]
Exploring South Ronaldsay – Listening Walks
Created by Sheena Graham-George, and based on conversations with local people, the Burwick, Kirkhouse and St Margaret’s Hope Listening Walks are now available on Exploring South Ronaldsay [which started life on these pages]. The result is a fascinating collage of life on the island. [updated March 1, 2026]
Resources
Featured article: Why cohousing is good for people and communities – the evidence. [Updated January 2024]
Creating a cohousing project: Materials and videos exploring different aspects of putting together a cohousing project.
Look out for: Burray and South Ronaldsay local services [New and updated]. See also the new Exploring South Ronaldsay site, which began life on these pages.
For more about the development of cohousing in Scotland, click on the Cohousing Scotland logo below.
