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Scottish Government criticised over affordable homes

The Scottish Parliament.
The Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Government has been criticised for not ensuring more affordable homes have been built across the country.

Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats hit out at SNP ministers after experts claimed Scotland might need up to eight new towns – or extend existing ones – to help avert a potential crisis.

The suggestion was made by the Scottish Housing Commission which also said the private rental sector needed to be expanded.

Led by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the body has published a series of recommendations for the Scottish Government on the future of housing.

It has highlighted continuing problems with supply and demand, including shortages in housing land supply, new housing and rental properties.

Scottish Housing Commission chairman Tom Barclay said: “The imbalance that exists between supply and demand for housing remains an ongoing problem in today’s, and potentially tomorrow’s, Scottish housing market.

“A substantial increase in land supply for housing would assist development partners in their business preparation, reduce land costs and impact positively on the affordability of housing.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said it was “taking action” to increase the supply of affordable homes, deliver vital support for the housebuilding industry and support economic recovery.

“Our investment of more than £1.7billion in affordable housing during the current parliamentary term is helping to deliver our target to deliver 30,000 affordable homes,” she added.

But Lib Dem housing spokesman Jim Hume said the SNP’s record on housing had been a “disappointment” given 13,000 households have been on council housing waiting lists for more than a decade.

Labour housing spokeswoman Mary Fee said: “The SNP have failed to make it a priority and as a result we have fewer homes being built now than in the post-war era.”

Scottish Conservative housing spokesman Alex Johnstone urged the government to take “immediate action” to secure private investment which will help take the construction sector forward.