Some of Scotland’s most senior housing experts have written to First Minister Alex Salmond urging him to continue to give priority to housing and pointing out that the number of new homes is falling as demand is rising.
Some of Scotland’s most senior housing experts have written to First Minister Alex Salmond urging him to continue to give priority to housing and pointing out that the number of new homes is falling as demand is rising.
The group is a coalition of the public, private and voluntary sectors, and includes representation from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, Homes for Scotland, Council of Mortgage Lenders, the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, ShelterScotland, Heads of Planning Scotland, Scottish Property Federation, Registered Tenant Organisation Regional Networks and Inclusion Scotland.
It is writing to all MSPs urging them to heed the need for investment in housing in the Scottish Budget negotiations for 2010-11.
The group has urged Alex Salmond not to follow the lead of the UK Government, which has chopped the English affordable housing budget in half, sparking dire warnings that house building will grind to a halt and hundreds of thousands of construction jobs will be lost.
The coalition has pointed out that, combined, the public and private sector built only 17,695 homes across Scotland in 2009, well short of the government’s desired 35,000 per year.
Scottish Federation of Housing Associations’ deputy chief executive Andrew Field said, “Leading figures in Scotland’s housing sector are joining together to call on the Scottish Government and all MSPs to heed the call for investment in housing.
“While the SFHA understands the need for budget reductions, we would urge Scotland not to repeat the mistakes of the UK Government in demolishing the social housing budget.
“In axing it by 50%, the coalition government has made housing one of the comprehensive spending review’s biggest losers.
“There is widespread agreement in Scotland on the crucial economic and social importance house building across all tenures plays in meeting huge need and creating badly-needed jobs.
“The money brought forward by the Scottish Government during the recession to date has resulted in record output by housing associations and thousands of construction jobs saved.
“Not only are those jobs at risk, but the life chances of the 250,000 families on waiting lists in Scotland and those who aspire to own their own home are also in the balance.”Knee-jerk reactionsJonathan Fair, chief executive of industry body Homes for Scotland, added, “As demonstrated by its actions over the last couple of years, the Scottish Government clearly recognises the importance housing in the round has to both the country’s social and economic well-being.
“Now at a crossroads, it has the opportunity to lead the way in the UK by maintaining housing investment to preserve much-needed skills and deliver on the sustainability agenda in the process.”
Meanwhile, CIH Scotland director Alan Ferguson said everyone appreciated the logic of the Scottish Government’s message that the most important investment was that which supported the economy.
“Housing investment has a major impact on the construction industry, and also levers in private finance at a level which almost matches the public subsidy.
“The housing sector is justified in expecting no more than its fair share of cuts,” he said.
Graeme Brown, director of housing and homelessness charity Shelter Scotland, said, “This is a pivotal moment for Scotland and, in particular, Scottish housing.
“It is no time for knee-jerk reactions and slashing the housing budget.
“A national house building programme would get families off waiting lists, reduce homelessness and get people out of poor quality temporary housing and overcrowded conditions.”