First Minister visits MAKAR's Inverness workshop to see Scotland's housing answer built from homegrown timber

We were delighted to invite First Minister, John Swinney, to tour our affordable home prototype to discuss the challenges faced by innovative housebuilders in Scotland. He saw first-hand what it looks like to build a net zero home that is affordable to both build and heat, and to a standard people are proud to live in.

On 10 April 2026, Swinney toured the Paradigm home, part of our Optima Homes range, a precision-manufactured, timber-rich affordable home built from Scottish materials and assembled on-site in just one week.

The visit comes as the Scottish Government has made housing a defining issue on the campaign trail, recently announcing the creation of More Homes Scotland, a new national housebuilding agency with a focus on simplicity, scale and speed. MAKAR's Paradigm home, offers a model that speaks directly to that ambition: a two-bedroom family home with home office, with modelled heating costs from £5 per week.

On the lessons he was taking away, Mr Swinney said: "I recognise that we've got to make urgent progress in addressing the housing challenges that we face as a country […] What I learned at MAKAR today is two important points. Firstly, that we can improve house design and do that in an affordable way that has a benefit for the long term of the individual residents. Secondly, that there are ways in which we can apply innovation and creativity to make sure that we succeed in our housing objectives a great deal more quickly than we might ordinarily believe was the case. I think it's a great contribution from MAKAR's innovation in the housing market in Scotland."

He also addressed the particular suitability of MAKAR's approach for Scotland's rural and island communities: "I think it's important that the grant funding approaches of the Scottish Government supporting affordable housing are able to reach every part of the country and that will require different models to be deployed in rural and remote areascompared to some of the more urban areas that we support so there's got to be a solution and an approach for every part of the country and I'm determined to make sure we have those options in place for every part of Scotland."

MAKAR's Paradigm home is constructed using Scottish Sitka spruce, natural Warmcel insulation and untreated larch cladding. The home is free from petrochemicals and designed to eliminate damp and mould. Its ‘breathing walls’ and mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) system support air quality as well as energy efficiency.

The Paradigm home is available from £157,000 for a single dwelling, or from £572,000 for a terrace of four. Terraces of twelve homes are available from £1.54 million. The home features future-proof design, including provision for a home lift, a Jack and Jill bathroom, and a floored attic, making it suitable for residents at all life stages.

Members of the public and housing professionals can visit the prototype and workshop through MAKAR's regular tours, bookable via Eventbright.

Read more in the Press and Journal: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/inverness/6994504/john-swinney-highland-housing/