The North Ayrshire Local Housing Strategy 2023–2028 was approved by Cabinet in June 2023 and sets out strategic priorities for tackling housing issues.
It aims to ensure that people live in the right homes, in the right place, with access to any support services they need.
The strategy sets out the Council’s wide-ranging ambitions in diverse areas such as housebuilding, rural housing, homelessness, private sector housing and energy efficiency.
Developed in consultation with tenants and residents across North Ayrshire, the Local Housing Strategy aims to support all people, regardless of their background, their financial position, or their current housing situation.
At a recent meeting of Cabinet, councillors were given an update on the strategy and its four overarching outcomes of:
• More homes at the heart of great places – a commitment to deliver 1,666 new Council homes by 2031 has seen the Council deliver more than 1,000 new homes across every part of North Ayrshire, while construction work is ongoing at the Council’s largest single development of 202 new homes at Ayrshire Central in Irvine. Private developers delivered 385 homes during 2025/26 – an increase of 105 on the previous year, bringing the total number of units delivered by the private sector to 918 since April 2023.
• Affordability and choice – The Homelessness Prevention Strategy 2026–2031 is currently being finalised, following a comprehensive programme of consultation and engagement with Council services, partner organisations, community groups, and individuals with lived experience of homelessness. Also, a pilot project called Early Doors was launched in February in partnership with Ardrossan-based charity CHAP to develop new ways to help prevent homelessness in the private sector and ensure people can stay in their homes.
• Affordable warmth and zero emissions – New developments are being built with air source heat pumps, solar panels and improved insulation. The Council is also progressing retrofit programmes, including Area Based Schemes, and continues to reduce fuel povertythrough schemes including Energy Company Obligation (ECO).
• Improving the Quality of our Homes – Housing staff have been trained to identify and respond to tenants’ longer-term support needs to help recognise early indicators of tenancy risk. Investment is continuing in sheltered housing through the Sheltered Housing Reprovisioning Programme.
Additionally, while the Council has not declared a housing emergency, Local Housing Plans will be developed to support communities through a locality/town-based assessment of housing need, demand, supply and investment priorities.
A pilot Local Housing Plan is currently being developed for Kilwinning, and learning from this will shape the rollout of Plans across North Ayrshire.
Councillor Alan Hill, Cabinet Member for Communities, Housing and Islands,said: “It is encouraging to see that we are progressing with our aim of residents being able to live in the right home, in the right place, with - vitally - access to the various types of support they need
“Delivering more homes, supporting residents and creating sustainable communities is key to improved wellbeing. As the strategy enters its final years, work will continue alongside our partners to address housing pressuresand issues faced by our residents.”
The Local Housing Strategy will remain under annual review to ensure the Council continues to meet the changing needs of North Ayrshire’s people.