People looking for affordable housing in Lochalsh are being encouraged to fill in a housing needs survey which went live on September 14.
The data will provide invaluable evidence to establish the scale of need and demand for affordable housing in the area.
The 2021 Lochalsh Community Action Plan, written following a community survey with almost 600 responses, established that the top priority for the area was affordable housing solutions to both retain and attract particularly younger people and families.
The action plan also highlighted interest in land for growing and for business units, so the survey will also investigate these topics.
Two sites in Saraig and Ratagan, currently part of the Forest and Land Scotland (FLS) estate have been offered for investigation.
If the feasibility study looks promising, this would then lead to an application to purchase from FLS using a Community Asset Transfer.
The housing needs survey is being conducted as part of a feasibility study which will look at the potential for one or both sites to be developed for affordable houses for rent, for sale and for affordable house sites.
There is a separate survey for residents of Lochalsh, one for non-residents, such as those who want to return or move there, and one for businesses.
With funding from the Scottish Land Fund and Rural and Islands Housing Fund, Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust has appointed the Communities Housing Trust to undertake the feasibility study.
They bring with them Ian Livesey, architect and Jamie MacIntyre, woodland croft specialist to advise and draw up potential options for housing layout and land use on the sites.
A community consultation event will take place in Inverinate Community Centre on October 26 where the community can consider some concept plans, find out more about the project and offer opinions.
The survey can be found on the Communities Housing Trust website at www.chtrust.co.uk/kyle-survey.html.