Our commitment to affordable housing
From the very beginning, affordable and sustainable housing for local people has been at the heart of everything W&BCI does. Wigtown is a place people want to live — but for too many young people, families and older residents, the reality of finding a home here has become increasingly difficult. We exist to change that.
Wigtown and Bladnoch Community Initiative (W&BCI) is a community-led organisation working to acquire, develop and sustain assets in Wigtown and Bladnoch for the long-term benefit of everyone who lives here.
Our first housing project was part of the conversion of the former Bank of Scotland building on Wigtown’s main square. Working with Community Enterprise and following extensive community engagement, we created two affordable homes within the building:
A family-sized affordable flat on the upper floor, and a fully accessible one-bedroom flat to the rear of the ground floor — designed specifically for residents who require step-free living. Both properties are let to tenants with a genuine local connection to Wigtown, and both are managed directly by W&BCI.
We are now working to refurbish the flat above the Wigtown Community Shop building — recently acquired by W&BCI — to add a further high-quality, energy-efficient affordable home to the local rental market. Subject to funding, we hope to have this property ready by the end of 2026.
Wigtown Community Shop is far more than a shop. It is a volunteer-run social hub and a remarkable fundraiser for local groups and organisations that would otherwise struggle to survive. The range of community groups, activities and individuals it supports through its retail and event fundraising is extraordinary — and it has been doing this quietly and consistently for years.
We are proud to have given it a permanent home.
W&BCI’s housing ambition is clear: to provide affordable, sustainable homes for the people who make Wigtown and Bladnoch what it is — young people starting out, families putting down roots, and older residents who want to downsize but stay in the community they love.
We are actively working to develop a realistic project plan for future housing delivery, and will be seeking feasibility funding to take this forward over the coming months. We will update this page as plans develop.
If you are interested in affordable housing in Wigtown or Bladnoch, or would like to know more about our plans, please get in touch.
