Call for 100,000 new homes for Scotland by end of next parliament

The Scottish Government needs to build at least 100,000 new homes of all types by the end of the next parliament, according to an industry trade body.

Homes for Scotland is challenging SNP and Labour targets of 50,000 and 60,000 new affordable homes respectively, calling on them to return to pre-recession levels of building. 

Chief executive Philip Hogg said the organisation believes the target is “ambitious but achievable”.

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According to Homes for Scotland figures, the total number of new homes being built is still 40 per cent down on 2007 levels. 

The organisation is also calling for the focus to be broadened to more than just affordable housing. 

“A continuing focus on publicly subsidised affordable housing targets tells just one part of the story,” said Hogg. 

“What about the majority of Scots who still want to own their own home or those who want the flexibility of renting in the private sector?”

Providing more affordable housing is a key part of addressing the overall undersupply of homes, he said.

However, that can only be achieved through an all-tenure approach that takes account of the private sector’s contribution to affordable housing, he added.

A new report produced for Homes for Scotland by Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners (NLP) highlights the financial benefits of increasing the number of new homes being built.

Nicola Woodward of NLP said: “The need to increase the supply of housing is rising up the Scottish political agenda and our analysis shows that if home building can return to pre-recession delivery rates it will produce some major economic benefits, including an additional £443 million of capital expenditure, £1.9 billion extra economic output and almost 38,400 extra jobs.”