Scottish Government strategy is putting affordable housing at risk, it was claimed last night.
Official figures show that 7,069 affordable homes were completed in 2014-15, up 1% on the previous year.
The total included a 0.2% increase (eight) in social rented homes, a 17% increase (160) in affordable homes for rent, and a 6% decrease (111) in affordable home ownership.
A total of 26,972 affordable homes have been completed in the four years from 2011-12, as part of the government affordable housing supply programme, including 18,670 for social rent.
Scottish Liberal Democrat housing spokesman said the government’s record was nothing to be proud off.
“The SNP have taken their eye off the ball over recent years and the result is that housing in Scotland is at crisis point,” he said.
“The SNP government previously reneged on its pledge to build more homes for social rent, focussing instead on affordable homes.
“With that in mind, today’s figures – a 1% increase for affordable housing overall, a 6% fall in homes for affordable ownership and a 12% drop in local authority starts this quarter – can only be seen as a huge disappointment.”
Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said: “Housing is at the heart of the Scottish Government’s ambitions to create a fairer and more prosperous country and the supply of affordable housing is a key priority. I’m delighted to say we are well on track to meeting our five-year target of 30,000 new homes by 2016.”
Adam Lang, of Shelter Scotland, said it was good the Scottish Government was ahead of its targets.
“However, the completion of 4,221 new socially rented homes in the last year is still far below the number needed to meet demand,” he said.
“With 150,500 households on council waiting lists for a home of their own, 10,000 new homes for social rent are needed each year if we are to meaningfully tackle Scotland’s housing crisis.”