A FURIOUS councillor is demanding that a housing association lives up to its promise and stops delaying the construction of much-needed properties for the elderly in Langholm and Moffat.
Annandale East and Eskdale independent Denis Male, above, says it’s an “absolute disgrace” that Loreburn Housing Association have halted plans to build 35 elderly houses at Murtholm Farm in Langholm.
Digging work had already begun at the Langholm site but has since been paused due to issues with funding and increased costs.
In the meantime, pensioners from Langholm have been moved to places including Carlisle, Kirkpatrick Fleming, and Upper Nithsdale.
Calling for answers at Annandale and Eskdale Area Committee last week, Councillor Male said: “Have you got a date for when these projects are going to start?
“Because if it’s five to ten years then half the people who were hoping to get in these houses will be dead.”
An update report was presented at last week’s meeting which confirmed that Loreburn Housing Association had “paused” work at the Murtholm Farm site.
Councillor Male said that he had been given information from a source connected to Loreburn that the Murtholm Farm project was now a “medium to long term” project – meaning five to ten years.
He added: “This is about elderly people being able to stay in their communities and not being farmed out all over this region.
“It’s about being able to live together with their partners, and not have their partner at home and them being in Upper Nithsdale and travelling from Moffat or Langholm to get to them.
“So, it is serious and I find it absolutely disgraceful that this has been stopped – along with the excuses given for stopping around the cost.
“To me, Loreburn should have had all the costings in place when this started in 2018 and not suddenly blame covid and everything else for the rising costs.
“It’s been an absolute dampener for the community in Langholm, and I suspect Moffat will be the same, because this was a promise.”
Jamie Little, the council’s strategic housing and regeneration team leader, replied: “We don’t have a start dates for the sites, either at Selkirk Road or Murtholm Farm. We appreciate that it’s incredibly disappointing for local members and for local residents.
“Ourselves as the council and the Scottish Government are working very hard to push Loreburn Housing Association towards this housing development commencing.
“In terms of a five to ten year date, that’s something that hasn’t been discussed with ourselves. I met with Loreburn Housing Association just yesterday and the Scottish Government, and have been advised they’re coming very close to the heads of terms signing with potential developers to take these sites forward.”
Loreburn Housing Association failed to comment.
