Malcolm Forbes Court, Rosehearty

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Malcolm Forbes Court is located within the village of Rosehearty which is four miles west of Fraserburgh. The scheme contains 16 flats split across 2 levels, and there is a separate former warden property that is not attached to the scheme.

Occupancy rates at the scheme have averaged 83.7% over 10 years, with a steady reduction in recent years. Vacancies at the scheme have proven challenging to let as a result of low demand, leading to a significant loss of income.

Financially, Malcolm Forbes Court has a negative Net Present Value of around -£2.6 million, which is driven by the cost of future investment required at the scheme, and the loss of income due to vacant properties. 100% occupancy would improve this figure, but the scheme would still require subsidy from other tenants to cover the cost of future investment.

The village has a local shop and post office for residents, and the nearby town of Fraserburgh offers a wider range of facilities including GP and pharmacies. Public transport is limited however, requiring resident to pre-book A2B services or have access to a car to access Fraserburgh outwith bus times. The scheme is located on a slope, which may be limiting for people with mobility issues.

The main drivers for considering Malcolm Forbes Court for closure are the cost of future investment which will have to be subsidised by other council tenants, and the challenges of letting flats within the scheme.

Malcolm Forbes Court is located within the village of Rosehearty which is four miles west of Fraserburgh. The scheme contains 16 flats split across 2 levels, and there is a separate former warden property that is not attached to the scheme.

Occupancy rates at the scheme have averaged 83.7% over 10 years, with a steady reduction in recent years. Vacancies at the scheme have proven challenging to let as a result of low demand, leading to a significant loss of income.

Financially, Malcolm Forbes Court has a negative Net Present Value of around -£2.6 million, which is driven by the cost of future investment required at the scheme, and the loss of income due to vacant properties. 100% occupancy would improve this figure, but the scheme would still require subsidy from other tenants to cover the cost of future investment.

The village has a local shop and post office for residents, and the nearby town of Fraserburgh offers a wider range of facilities including GP and pharmacies. Public transport is limited however, requiring resident to pre-book A2B services or have access to a car to access Fraserburgh outwith bus times. The scheme is located on a slope, which may be limiting for people with mobility issues.

The main drivers for considering Malcolm Forbes Court for closure are the cost of future investment which will have to be subsidised by other council tenants, and the challenges of letting flats within the scheme.

Questions

We'd love to hear from you! Please use this page to ask questions as part of the consultation process.

Question 1:  What if someone from the community wanted to move in now?

Answer: they would need to apply via the Councils housing application process and if they are eligible they can be offered a property, but this would be on the understanding the scheme is being proposed to close. The housing service have a responsibility to continue to allocate properties until the decision is taken that the scheme is not longer viable and due to close.

Question 2: What will happen to staff who work in the scheme?

Answer: There has been a staffing needs analysis completed and all staff will continue to work in other Sheltered Housing locations. The Sheltered Housing staff will play an integral part to assist tenants with any potential move, in addition to the person centred support they will get from the Tenant Liaison Officer. 

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  • Share The process to apply for sheltered accommodation implies to applicants that there is a significant waiting list (6000 as per the current council website), why is the council not making effort to promote applications & to relax the criteria for tenants wishing to rent sheltered accommodation? on Facebook Share The process to apply for sheltered accommodation implies to applicants that there is a significant waiting list (6000 as per the current council website), why is the council not making effort to promote applications & to relax the criteria for tenants wishing to rent sheltered accommodation? on Twitter Share The process to apply for sheltered accommodation implies to applicants that there is a significant waiting list (6000 as per the current council website), why is the council not making effort to promote applications & to relax the criteria for tenants wishing to rent sheltered accommodation? on Linkedin Email The process to apply for sheltered accommodation implies to applicants that there is a significant waiting list (6000 as per the current council website), why is the council not making effort to promote applications & to relax the criteria for tenants wishing to rent sheltered accommodation? link

    The process to apply for sheltered accommodation implies to applicants that there is a significant waiting list (6000 as per the current council website), why is the council not making effort to promote applications & to relax the criteria for tenants wishing to rent sheltered accommodation?

    Constituent asked 21 days ago

    Why We Follow Legislation and Allocation Policies

    As a social landlord, Aberdeenshire Council is legally required to follow national housing legislation and its own Housing Allocation Policy. These rules are in place to ensure that:

    • Access to housing is fair, transparent, and based on need.
    • Priority is given to those in greatest housing need, such as people experiencing homelessness, overcrowding, or health-related housing issues.
    • Resources are used responsibly, especially given the high demand for social housing across the region.

    These policies are not designed to exclude people, but to make sure that housing is allocated in a way that is consistent, equitable, and legally compliant.

    Why the Waiting List Appears Long

    The figure of around 6,000 applicants on the housing list reflects all types of housing needs, not just sheltered accommodation. Many of these applicants are not actively seeking sheltered housing, and some may already be adequately housed but are seeking a transfer.

    In reality, some sheltered housing schemes—particularly in rural areas—are experiencing low demand, with properties sitting empty for extended periods. This is why we are currently reviewing how we promote and manage these schemes.

    We do advertise Sheltered Housing scheme on the Choice Based Lettings (CBL) portal.

    If no bids are received via the CBL process applicants are contacted based on their assessed need with their application and offered low demand properties, in addition these are advertised locally via posters and local community councils often assist.

  • Share If it were to close. What would happen to the building? Please tell me the rumour is not true that it will house refugees/immigrants? on Facebook Share If it were to close. What would happen to the building? Please tell me the rumour is not true that it will house refugees/immigrants? on Twitter Share If it were to close. What would happen to the building? Please tell me the rumour is not true that it will house refugees/immigrants? on Linkedin Email If it were to close. What would happen to the building? Please tell me the rumour is not true that it will house refugees/immigrants? link

    If it were to close. What would happen to the building? Please tell me the rumour is not true that it will house refugees/immigrants?

    Rosehearty Resident asked 24 days ago

    If the decision is taken to close the building, the housing service will need to be transparent with any future proposed use, should the property be sold or repurposed it has to have a benefit to the Housing Revenue Account and to tenants. No future use has been identified for any scheme proposed to close. The housing service have not had any discussions with the Home Office about future use of any Sheltered Housing scheme, for asylum seekers/migrants.

Page last updated: 05 May 2025, 05:54 PM