Fears for Scotland’s ‘future success’ as number of new homes falls

Fears for Scotland’s ‘future success’ as number of new homes falls

Todays other news
A popular northern city has been named the UK property...
New data from Hamptons shows a massive rise in service...
The data has been produced by high end estate agency...
Even the likes of Croydon is now seeing prime-priced property...
The call has come from the British Property Federation...


A sharp fall in the number of homes being built north of the border is likely to push up house prices and rental values, according to housebuilders in Scotland.

Nicola Barclay, chief executive of trade body Homes for Scotland, said that she was “deeply concerned” by statistics which showed the volume of new builds being started dropped by 5% to 16,870 in 2016, dragged down by a private sector decline of 14% to 11,816. 

She warned that Scotland will continue to face a housing crisis unless ground is broken on more sites, even though the number of social sector homes with funding approved is increasing, with housing starts in the sector rising last year by 24% to 5,054.

Barclay said: “Whilst it is good to see an increase in social sector funding and consequent activity, we must recognise that this equates to only a third of homes built, and we therefore need an all-tenure approach to delivery if we are to meet the wide range of housing needs and demands of people across Scotland.

“I am deeply concerned by the figures which confirm the views of my members that it has never been more difficult to start sites and get much needed homes out of the ground. 

“Obviously this continuing flat-lining of total supply is bad news in relation to the jobs and investment builders bring to our economy, but unfortunately those worst affected are the young people and growing families struggling to get on the housing ladder.”

She added: “Not only is the lack of an adequate housing supply across all tenures stifling ambition and aspiration, it is also continuing to pressurise house prices and rents as well as threatening Scotland’s future success and social well-being.”

Share this article ...

Join the conversation: Login and have your say

Want to comment on this story? Our focus is on providing a platform for you to share your insights and views and we welcome contributions. All comments are screened using specialist software and may be reviewed by our editorial team before publication. Property Investor Today reserves the right to edit, withhold or delete comments that violate our guidelines, including those that harass, degrade, or intimidate others. Users who post such content may be banned from commenting.
By commenting, you agree to our Commenting Terms of Use.
Recommended for you
Related Articles
A popular northern city has been named the UK property...
Even the likes of Croydon is now seeing prime-priced property...
The first one is in Manchester - but will the...
From the ninth floor upwards the flats are open market...
Spain’s draconian new tax is already spooking British investors...
The Budget has forced a revision of forecasts for the...
Prices and sales volumes will grow in 2025 despite the...
Recommended for you
Latest Features
A popular northern city has been named the UK property...
New data from Hamptons shows a massive rise in service...
The data has been produced by high end estate agency...
Sponsored Content
As the property industry shifts towards sustainable practices, Inspired Property...
Are you concerned about rising interest rates and their potential...
In the ever-evolving landscape of property investment, staying ahead of...

Send to a friend

In order to send this article to a friend you must first login. Click on the button below to login or sign up.

No one likes pop-ups ...
But while you're here