Responding to today’s draft Budget, Homes For Scotland welcomed the significant increase in affordable housing investment next year but emphasised that delivering the Scottish Government’s ambition in this area was highly dependent on a strong private sector given its direct contribution through planning policy. 

Chief Executive Philip Hogg (right) said:

“Whilst providing more ‘affordable housing’ is a key element in tackling the country’s chronic undersupply of housing, this alone will not address Scotland’s housing crisis or meet the diverse needs and aspirations of all those living and working in Scotland.

“Scotland needs a balanced housing policy which places equal emphasis on having enough homes of all tenures, recognising the economic and social benefits that this would bring for communities throughout the country. We therefore hope that, like other administrations in the UK, the Scottish Government will allocate sufficient funding for the next phase of the hugely popular Help to Buy scheme and ensure it is as accessible to as many purchasers as possible in order to meet the demand that clearly exists.

“We also hope that the details of the budget will include assistance for SME home builders and action to facilitate the provision of infrastructure for housing.

“In respect of the announcement of a three per cent supplement on Land and Buildings Transaction Tax for additional residential properties such as buy to let properties and second homes over £40,000, we are wary of what impact this may have on the amount of rental stock available to tenants, particularly given the changes already proposed in the Private Tenancy Bill which is currently going through Parliament.”