Government ‘must do more to build homes’
Warning as number of new houses constructed falls
HOUSEBUILDERS have called for ministers to switch the focus away from low-income families and first-time buyers to building more new homes and alleviate the housing crisis.
Nicola Barclay, chief executive of trade body Homes for Scotland, said she was “deeply concerned” by figures that revealed the number of new-builds being started fell by five per cent to 16,870 in 2016.
She warned that the country would continue to face a housing crisis unless ground is broken on more sites and questioned whether the Scottish Government’s target of building 50,000 affordable properties over the next five years is achievable.
The Government’s latest quarterly figures show the fall was down to a slump in the private sector, where the number of fresh units dropped by 14 per cent to 11,816 last year.
In comparison, social-sector housing increased by 24 per cent to 5,054, while the number of affordable homes being approved by planning committees rose by 20 per cent to 8,840.
Ms Barclay said: “While it is good to see an increase in socialsector funding and consequent activity, we must recognise that this equates to only one-third of homes built, and we therefore need an all-tenure approach to delivery if we are to meet the wide range of housing needs and demands Scotland.
“I am deeply concerned by today’s figures which confirm the views of my members that it has never been more difficult to start sites and get much needed homes out of the ground.
“Obviously this continuing flat-lining of total supply is bad news in relation to the jobs and investment builders bring to our economy, but unfortunately those worst affected are the young people and growing families struggling to get on the housing ladder.”
She added: “Not only is the lack of an adequate housing supply across all tenures stifling ambition and aspiration, it is also continuing to pressurise house prices and rents as well as threatening Scotland’s future success and social wellbeing.”
Adam Lang, head of communications and policy at homeless charity Shelter Scotland, added his voice to the calls.
He said: “While we welcome the increase in the number of new of people across homes being approved, these need to quickly translate into affordable homes being built.
“We will only start to meaningfully tackle Scotland’s housing crisis if we can deliver a real step change in affordable housing supply. Crucially, this must include a large proportion that are available for social rent at a cost people can actually afford.” Housing Minister Kevin Stewart yesterday confirmed £70 million funding for the Scottish Government’s Open Market Shared Equity (OMSE) scheme, which helps firsttime buyers and priority groups buy a property.
It is hoped this will enable a further 1,700 people to buy a home.
Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland annual conference in Glasgow, Mr Stewart said: “Ensuring access to goodquality and affordable housing is a key priority for the Scottish Government. Therefore, it is encouraging that 20 per cent more properties were approved and started last year.
“As part of our efforts to increase affordable housing supply, we are determined to give targeted help to those seeking to move into home ownership.
“Over the past decade, our OMSE scheme has helped more than 8,700 people on low to moderate incomes to buy a home.”
The 2017/18 scheme welcomes new applications from next month, he added. He said 35,000 of the 50,000 new affordable would be for social rent. EDINBURGH Tattoo narrator Alasdair Hutton is to perform a similar role at a ceremony to remember the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Arras in the northern French town.
Mr Hutton, pictured at the One O’Clock gun at Edinburgh Castle, is to narrate the Beating Retreat by the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Mr Hutton said his grandfather George, who was badly wounded in the battle, which had the highest concentration of Scots soldiers during the First World War, was “one of the lucky ones”. There were 4,000 casualties each day.