A major refurbishment project in Wick will bring 18 long term empty homes back into use through a partnership between SSEN Transmission and The Highland Council.
The project is the latest to be announced under SSEN Transmission’s housing strategy, which aims to support communities affected by major electricity grid upgrades across the north of Scotland.
SSEN Transmission published its housing strategy in autumn 2024, pledging to support the delivery of 1,000 homes across its transmission area as part of efforts to address housing shortages linked to large scale infrastructure investment.
The strategy is tied to the company’s grid upgrade programme, which is designed to support energy security and the transition to clean power, while also meeting the accommodation needs of construction workers involved in those projects.
In Wick, 18 properties on Wellington Street and Nicolson Street that have been vacant for an extended period will be refurbished and brought back into use as modern, energy efficient homes.
SSEN Transmission is investing more than £1m to upgrade the properties to a high standard, with work focused on sustainability, energy efficiency and improved living conditions.
The refurbishment will include new kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems and windows to ensure the homes meet current standards for comfort, safety and efficiency.
The work will be carried out by GMR Henderson Builders Ltd, a Wick based contractor with more than 30 years’ experience delivering building, renovation and refurbishment projects across the Highlands.
Martin Associates, Chartered Building Surveyors, will provide professional oversight to support the effective delivery of works on site.
Together, the appointments are intended to support local employment and keep investment within the Highland economy.
The project forms part of SSEN Transmission’s commitment under the Highland Social Value Charter, which the company became the first business to sign last November, pledging to support the development of 500 permanent homes within The Highland Council area.
Alongside recent housing announcements in Beauly, Muir of Ord and Drumnadrochit, the Wick project brings the total number of Highland homes announced through the strategy to more than 140.
Initially, the refurbished homes will be used to accommodate SSEN Transmission workers delivering proposed infrastructure projects in the area, including the Banniskirk Hub, the new Spittal area 400kV substation and HVDC converter station, and the Spittal to Loch Buidhe to Beauly 400kV overhead line.
Once the infrastructure works are complete, all 18 homes will be returned to The Highland Council for allocation to local tenants.
Refurbishment work is expected to begin on site in early 2026.
Sandy Mactaggart, Director of Offshore Delivery at SSEN Transmission, said the project was about creating long term benefits for communities hosting major infrastructure.
“We are committed to delivering a positive legacy in Caithness from the grid upgrades needed to achieve energy security and clean power for the country, and permanent housing is a key part of that.
“As the first business to sign up to the Highland Social Value Charter, today’s announcement for Wick shows how our commitments are being turned into bricks and mortar.
“Communities in Caithness and across the north of Scotland need good quality jobs to help sustain people and families in their local communities, and homes for them to live in.
“Upgrading the region’s electricity grid will help deliver both of these vital objectives.
“A lack of housing for local people is a big issue in many of the communities we serve, and our housing strategy demonstrates how we are working in partnership to develop imaginative proposals that will deliver new homes and can act as a template for other developers.”
Highland Council Leader Raymond Bremner said the project reflects the purpose of the Highland Social Value Charter.
“Our Highland Social Value Charter is about ensuring that all areas of the Highlands benefit fully from the opportunities presented by renewable energy investment.
“Should developments get the go ahead, we want developers to build in a lasting legacy for our communities.
“Bringing long term empty homes in Wick back into use is a positive step, and by making this agreement it strengthens ambitions to deliver more homes and meet the region’s housing challenge.”
