Affordable housing is a crucial issue in Sheildaig

Affordable housing provider, Albyn Housing Society, is hosting to discuss what types of housing are required in the future.

Chief executive Calum MacAulay said the management of the majority of properties was handled without any input from communities.

He said the seminar would investigate how associations can be more flexible.

Mr MacAulay said: "We've been approached by a small number of individuals and groups who have come to us because of housing issues in their communities.

'Flexible approach'

"We quickly realised that our usual allocation policy didn't take specific community needs into account.

"As a result we have organised this seminar and commissioned research to investigate ways of taking a more flexible approach."

Shieldaig in Wester Ross has been working closely with Albyn on addressing a critical lack of affordable homes.

Liz Pritchard, of Shieldaig Community Council, said: "The Shieldaig area was suffering from a real lack of affordable housing which meant that young people who'd grown up here were having to move away to find homes.

"The community council managed to arrange to buy land and build a mix of affordable rental and owned houses through the Highland Small Communities Housing Trust.

Holiday homes

"The most difficult part of the process can be deciding who gets a house, so we approached Albyn and they took responsibility for allocating the new homes."

Affordable housing is also an issue in the Aviemore area with Cairngorms National Park considering introducing residency restrictions on new housing in the area.

Under the proposals, the authority would also have planning control over plans to turn existing residences into holiday homes.

There has been a problem in the park over the lack of affordable housing.

While the number of older people is increasing, those below 40 are set to drop by 30% over the next 20 years.