NewsArticle-13-02-2009

Home building industry leaders have called for immediate progress on the four priority recommendations announced by the Scottish Government’s Housing Supply Task Force in order to increase the supply of housing across all tenures.

Following a meeting of the Board of Homes for Scotland, the organisation which represents companies building 95% of the country’s new homes, Chief Executive Jonathan Fair (right), himself a member of the Task Force) said:

“Conditions for the home building industry have deteriorated dramatically since the creation of the Task Force was first announced in June 2007, with January 2009 statistics now showing an 86% decrease in the number of private new homes being started in Scotland compared with the same period a year ago (source:  NHBC).  The scale of the potential housing crisis facing us is therefore huge and will require fundamentally different thinking when recovery begins.  There is simply no time to waste in addressing the key points identified by the Task Force Report if people are to have the opportunity of accessing new housing that meets their needs and demands.

“We look forward to meeting with the new Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil shortly in order to continue the dialogue on an effective way forward.”

Ends

Enquiries to:

Jennifer Kennedy, Homes for Scotland – 0131 455 8350 

Notes to Editors:

1.  Homes for Scotland represents the country’s home building industry which, prior to the onset of the credit crunch,:

-  was the largest source of private investment in Scotland and the largest user of the planning system

-  built 20,000 new homes, contributed £6bn to the economy and directly impacted the employment of 100,000 people (2007 figures)

But with 26,000 jobs already lost and much new development across the country now effectively on hold, Scottish new build housing output has plummeted.  This will have far-reaching and long-term social and economic consequences.  Browse this website for further market commentary and information on the action and support Homes for Scotland is calling on from both the UK and Scottish Governments.

2. The Scottish Government's Housing Supply Task Force report sets out four priority recommendations to be taken forward:

-  Identify alternative methods of funding infrastructure to accelerate construction of housing and other major projects

-  Ensure speedy implementation of planning system reforms

-  Establish a framework to assist the house building industry return to full capacity swiftly once markets improve

-  Making better use of public sector land for housing

Click here for further information.