The Trust works very closely, both formally and day to day, with all the main affordable housing interest players - including communities, landowners, The Highland Council, the local Housing Associations, Communities Scotland, H.I.E.'s Community Land Unit and others. All the Trust's key partners have representatives who sit on the Trust's Board as Directors or Advisors to the Board.
Communities
Landowners
The Trust has worked very closely with many local landowners to discuss potential sales to the Trust of sites which are guaranteed to meet affordable local housing needs in perpetuity. The Trust fully appreciates and accepts that landowners who may be prepared to sell land to the Trust at below market value in order to help their community, may quite understandably not be prepared to do so unless they can be given legal assurances that no-one will take unfair advantage of their generosity in years to come, by being able to sell the land (and the houses built on it) at large profits. Hence the development by the Trust of the Trust pre-emption right conditions (Rural Housing Burden) which gives landowners willing to work with the Trust the assurances they seek.
Landowners that the Trust has bought land from include:
- John Grant of Rothiemurchus
- Andrew Matheson of Brahan Farms
- Iain Cameron of Dores
- The Forestry Commission
- The National Trust for Scotland
Two key landowners representative organisation in the Highlands, The Scottish Rural and Property Business Association (SRPBA) (which is the successor organisation to The Scottish Landowners Federation) and The Crofting Foundation (previously The Scottish Crofters Union) have directors on the Trust's board.
The Trust is a partnership vehicle
The Trust's Board of Directors and advisors comprises:
8 Appointed Directors, appointed by
- Highland Councils Housing Committee and Planning Committee (2)
- Albyn Housing Society (1)
- Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association (1)
- Lochaber Housing Association (1)
- Pentland Housing Association (1)
- The Scottish Rural and Property Business Association (1)
- The Scottish Crofting Association (1)
6 Elected Directors, elected by Community Councils / Trusts at the Trusts AGM on the last Saturday in September
2 Co-opted Directors - presently the Trust's Chairman and the Initiative at the Edge co-ordinator
Advisors to the Trust who also attend all its Board meetings comprise senior staff members from:
- Highland Council's Housing Development Team
- Highland Council's Local Plans Team
- Communities Scotland
- Highlands and Islands Enterprise (Community Land Unit)
- H.S.C.H.T.