James Cullen Court, Huntly

James Cullen Court and Fraser Court cottages are centrally located in the rural town of Huntly. James Cullen Court has 9 flats split across 2 levels, in addition to a former warden’s flat. There are also 18 Sheltered Housing cottages near the scheme at Fraser Court, which are not being considered for closure.

Overall occupancy rates at James Cullen Court averaged 96.4% over 10 years, and has remained fairly consistent over the period. However, there have been some challenges in letting vacancies recently due to low demand. This may be influenced by the relatively large number of Sheltered Housing properties available in Huntly (111).

James Cullen Court has a negative Net Present Value of around -£1.7 million, mainly driven by the high cost of future investment required at the scheme. This would require a substantial subsidy from other tenants to maintain the scheme.

The scheme is located centrally within Huntly, with shops and other services such as pharmacy and GP surgery nearby, in addition to leisure facilities within the settlement. Huntly offers regular rail and bus links, providing transport options for tenants who are unable to use a car.

The main driver for considering the main block for closure is the high cost of future investment required at the scheme, which will require significant subsidy from other tenants.