Political leadership, adequate resourcing and delivery of supporting infrastructure are all essential if Scotland is to have the volume and range of quality homes it requires to meet the diverse needs of its population in 20 years’ time.

That is the view of industry body Homes for Scotland (HFS) in its response to the Scottish Government’s “Housing to 2040” consultation in which it calls for:

•     an immediate all-tenure housing target to deliver at least 25,000 new homes per annum
•     a well-resourced planning service
•     centralisation of local authority building control services and the extension of this service to independent verifiers
•     a national housing delivery agency
•    incentivising consumer behaviour to make low carbon housing choices

HFS Director of Policy Fionna Kell (pictured right) said:

“The provision of new homes is crucial to making Scotland a better place in which to live, work and invest but doing this effectively requires bold, long-term visioning in the context of the climate emergency.

“With an accumulated backlog of 85,000 homes over the last decade or so alone, there must be an overt focus on how to increase and maintain steady investment in the supply of new homes of all tenures in places people want to live. 

“This would have massive social and economic benefits in terms of improved health and educational outcomes, skills, training, employment and productivity.

“The first step to realising this potential is to set a national delivery target encompassing all tenures.  Such a move would clearly demonstrate intent and help focus the behaviours and funding priorities of all stakeholders.

“Our members build across both public and private sectors and stand ready to play their full part.”