More than 1,800 affordable homes stalled by funding cuts

Data collected from members of representative body Homes for Scotland (HFS) reveals that around 5,000 new, high quality, energy efficient homes (1,826 of which are designated as affordable housing) are on sites that have stalled because of cuts to the AHSP, which was reduced by nearly 26% in the Scottish Budget in March.

The figures confirm the interdependencies between public and private sector housing delivery given the nature of developer contributions as 22% of affordable homes stalled are on mixed tenure sites.

The survey also found that 1,542 of the stalled homes, of which 848 were affordable, are from sites within local authorities which have already declared local housing emergencies (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fife, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian).

HFS chief executive Jane Wood said: “These latest insights clearly illustrate the impact the devastating cuts to the Affordable Housing Budget have had on all-tenure housing delivery across Scotland, leaving thousands of vitally needed new homes across the country facing years of delay or, even worse, completely mothballed at a time of national emergency. This only adds further pressure to the 693,000 households already in some form of housing need.

“With latest Scottish Government statistics showing housing starts and completions in rapid decline and new independent research highlighting the alarming contraction in small and medium sized home builders, the housing sector is calling out for genuine emergency action from government.

“The impact of the cuts that have devastated the Housing Budget are now clear for all to see. The Scottish Government must utilise all powers within its own control to ease the pressures facing the housing sector to catalyse the delivery of new homes across all tenures, whether this be urgently reviewing proposed regulation and policy or tackling the untenable planning processing times that are stifling the speed of future development.

“HFS, alongside other major housing stakeholders, has set out a clear Housing Emergency Action Plan to the Scottish Government. This is in addition to a range of evidenced solutions already submitted with the insights of our member companies who deliver the vast majority of all new homes across Scotland.”