Eco housing fair 'delayed due to crunch'

Current economic pressures have meant that a housing fair set to take place in Scotland has now been delayed.

A number of eco-homes were due to be showcased at the event in Balvonie Brass, Inverness, but the credit crunch has changed matters.

Chairman of the Highland Housing Fair councillor Jean Urquhart stated that the developments are not that surprising considering the present market turmoil.

But she added that "the developers and the architects remain as enthusiastic as ever".

Chief executive of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland Neil Baxter also suggested that more money should be handed over to organisers so that the competition can become possible in the future.

He remarked that this is too good an idea to be allowed to "drift" away and be forgotten by the authorities.

The event was originally due to be staged in August 2009 but it is likely that it will be put back a year in the calendar.

One of the aims of the celebration of modern housing is to "motivate" builders into achieving similar measures, the Highland Housing Fair has argued. This may be of interest to those looking for land and self build plots.