Highland MSP Kate Forbes unveils plan to tackle housing shortages in remote and rural areas

Kate Forbes says investment must be targeted towards building more homes in remote and rural areas in a bid to tackle housing shortages.

The finance secretary, who is bidding to become the new first minister, says affordable housing is under “immense pressure” in Scotland.

The MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch added the problem is “particularly acute” in remote and rural parts of Scotland due to a high density of holiday homes.

Housing in the Highlands is one of the issues raised “most frequently” with her. 

If elected, she has pledged to:

• Establish a new Scottish body for house building tasked with creating thousands of homes for purchase and rent every year.
• Give local councils new powers to implement a council tax surcharge on empty second homes.
• Identifying more land in key areas that can be built on.
• Target further investment specifically for remote and rural areas.

Affordable housing pressures

Ms Forbes said: “Affordable housing is under immense pressure in Scotland.

“Despite the SNP’s track record of building thousands of homes since 2007, many young families can’t afford a warm, safe home.

“This is particularly acute in rural and remote parts of Scotland where there is a high density of holiday homes.

“As first minister I would focus on identifying more land in key areas that can be built on, offering councils the option of implementing a council tax surcharge on empty second homes and targeting further investment specifically for rural and remote areas.”

She continued: “I would like to see a new body for house building in Scotland, tasked with further developing house building capacity and acting as an agent for change.

“It could build houses for both rent and sale; it could act as an agent for expanding construction skills apprenticeships to tackle skills shortages.

“In other words it could be a central feature of supply chains in Scotland able to respond to changing needs.”

She is not the first candidate to stress the importance of ensuring housing stock is available in remote and rural areas.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has committed to buying up empty rural homes so he can give them to NHS staff and police officers if he becomes the next first minister.

The leadership hopeful outlined his plan last week for tackling a key worker shortage in more remote areas by spending £25 million of government funding.

He also wants to increase council tax rates on second homes across the Highlands, islands and north-east to increase the number of homes being used all year round.

Ms Forbes, Mr Yousaf and former government minister Ash Regan, will take part in the fifth in a series of SNP member hustings in Dumfries at 7pm on Monday.

It comes ahead of the candidates facing off in the first televised hustings being aired on STV on Tuesday at 9pm.