References to young Scots looking for their first home and support for wider all-tenure ambitions welcome but glaring lack of detail
As Scotland’s housing emergency continues to intensify, the country’s home builders have been left “frustrated” by today’s Scottish Budget announcement.
Jane Wood, Chief Executive of representative body Homes for Scotland, said:
“It was extremely encouraging to hear the Cabinet Secretary for Finance talk of ‘new hope for young Scots looking for their first home’. The Budget document itself also emphasises ‘all-tenure’ ambition and details £66m in Financial Transactions for housing. However, the lack of detail on what this will mean in practice is extremely frustrating.
“With home building levels now at or near historic lows, the only feasible way out of the housing emergency is to build significantly more homes across private and social sectors. Key to this is confidence for both new and existing investors, on which we have been working closely with the Scottish Government but I am afraid today appears to be a missed opportunity to announce the bold initiatives that we believe would significantly stimulate construction. Support for first time buyers (previously provided by the First Home Fund) is absolutely fundamental. It remains to be seen whether this will be forthcoming to give young people the hope the Budget statement alluded to.
“As we approach May’s election, we urge all parties to come forward with policies which deliver the homes Scotland needs.”
ENDS