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Gatehouse of Fleet, situated in the scenic region of Galloway, presents an inviting and tranquil environment, particularly on bright, sunny days. The town’s main street exudes a lively charm, and the peaceful banks of the River Fleet offer a soothing place to unwind. Despite its picturesque appeal, the town faces significant challenges for younger residents looking to establish independent homes.
At the heart of the solution lies a long-vacant garage site on the edge of the town, recently acquired by the local community group, the Gatehouse Development Initiative (GDI). This site, nestled within the conservation area and located opposite key landmarks such as the War Memorial and the Mill Pond, has been derelict for over two decades. Julia Weston, a member of GDI, shared the frustration many have felt: “It’s been vacant and derelict for over 20 years… It’s in the middle of the conservation area, it’s opposite the War Memorial, opposite the Mill Pond, quite a key location – it’s the first thing you see when you come into the town.”
The community’s vision, backed by planning permission and a £3.4 million investment, is to build seven two-bedroom homes for rent, addressing the pressing need for affordable housing. Previous proposals had considered luxury accommodations or flats, but research conducted alongside South of Scotland Community Housing revealed a strong demand for smaller rental homes, particularly one and two-bedroom properties. Weston explained the situation clearly: “Everything that was coming up for sale at that point was being sold as a second home… They wanted one and two bedrooms because a lot of the homes in Gatehouse have got sort of three plus bedrooms and they’re under-occupied.”
This initiative is crucial in a town where 38% of the population is aged 65 or over, nearly double the national average, and only 5% of residents are between 16 and 24, about half the national figure. Weston emphasized the importance of retaining younger people: “Young people just can’t afford to live here… They can’t afford to live here, they can’t afford to stay here, so they end up moving away.” The planned housing aims to prioritize younger individuals and key workers, helping to revitalize the community.
One local resident, 25-year-old Asia Fairnie, embodies the struggles faced by many young adults in Gatehouse. Having moved back to the town two years ago after studying in Dundee and Stirling, she co-owns a café and currently lives with her parents alongside her partner. She described the rental market as extremely limited, with very few properties available and prices for homes on the market often too high for those without substantial savings. “It’s very rare for anything, for renting anyway, to come available… A lot of things that do come available are houses for sale for like £200,000 to £300,000 – so quite unrealistic if you’ve not really got much savings.” Asia sees the new development as an opportunity: “It would be a bit of like a breath of fresh air, you know, having a bit of a younger community… There would be a lot more things going on, I think, as well, if we did have a bit more of a younger group in town.”
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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