Press Release
GRAMPIAN AND LANGSTANE IN GROUP STRUCTURE TALKS
Two of the north east’s oldest and most established housing providers, Grampian Housing Association and Langstane Housing Association have confirmed that they are working towards establishing a joint group structure. The two associations, of comparable size and status, believe that a group structure will enable them to increase their range of activities, and take on wider and greater challenges, while retaining the specialisms and improving the standard of customer care which they currently deliver.
As part of that process, a planning application has been lodged with Aberdeen City Council by Halliday Fraser Munro, Architects, on behalf of both Associations. Its purpose is to test out the feasibility of locating the staff of both associations in expanded office accommodation in King Street, building on the success of Langstane’s recently completed new 11,000 ft2 office block.
Said Grampian Chief Executive Alan Moat “The planning application will enable us to assess more fully the potential of co-locating on the King Street site. Whether or not it is successful however the two associations are committed to working towards this structure. We believe that it will be in the interest of our existing tenants and clients and give us much greater strengths to meet a wider range of challenges in the future.”
The support from Langstane was equally strong. Chief Executive Alan Grant said “Langstane and Grampian have many similarities but we have also developed separate specialisms, for example Grampian’s well established record in shared ownership and other forms of tenure choice. We have specialised in single persons and special needs accommodation. The group structure will allow these specialisms to flourish while at the same time giving us the opportunity to broaden our scope and become even more effective players in the local and national scene.”
The next step is for the two associations to produce a Business Plan for submission to Communities Scotland and undertake a programme of consultation with existing tenants and others before any final decision is taken.
What the two Associations are proposing is not a merger. Both Grampian and Langstane will continue to exist and to focus on their particular client groups. But by working together in a strategic relationship, as part of a group, both can benefit from sharing services, such as office accommodation, and be jointly more able to respond to major challenges in meeting housing needs.
