Housing, Jobs and Community

Challenge

This is one of the most expensive places in Scotland to buy a house, with 75% of National Park households unable to afford average house prices. On top of this, the National Park’s population has a lower proportion of young and working-age people compared to the national average. 

The cost of living and other economic pressures on the public sector and local authorities are making it harder to deliver rural services like transport, education and healthcare. Post COVID-19 and the UK leaving the EU, many of the National Park’s businesses are also finding it harder to recruit and keep staff. 

Solution

We need to stem the population loss and provide more opportunities for younger and working-age people to live and work in the National Park. People should be able to meet most of their daily needs as locally as possible, with a good range of services, homes, jobs, and training opportunities. 

People living, working, and visiting the Park should also feel a strong connection to the area’s nature, landscape, culture, and heritage, as well as with one another, benefiting their health and wellbeing and leading the way in tackling climate change. 

Goal

The goal is for communities and businesses in the National Park to be more sustainable and climate resilient, with greener ways of living locally and a more diverse rural economy providing opportunities for people to live and work here. 

 

Steps to take

• Grow Green and Nature-based Jobs and Skills 
• Enable more local living and working  
• Support Low Carbon Businesses  
• Meet Housing Needs  
• Build Community Wealth  
• Adapt to Climate Change and Restore Nature