The ten-point action plan was launched by the South of Scotland regional economic partnership and the housing minister Paul McLennan earlier this week
The South of Scotland Regional Economic Partnership has devised a ten-point action plan to address the region’s housing shortage.
The aims of the plan, which is to be implemented over the next two years, are to attract more people to live and work in the area, encourage young people to stay and grow the local construction sector.
Key actions include proposals to significantly enhance construction skills training and plans to create new student and keyworker accommodation.
Launched earlier this week by the South of Scotland Regional Economic Partnership (REP) and Scottish Housing Minister Paul McLennan MSP, the plan will also bring together community organisations, registered social landlords, and other stakeholders to co-develop schemes that create more homes.
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McLennan added that the Scottish government will make over £27m in affordable housing funding available to local authorities in the south of Scotland.
The REP aims to promote economic growth in the area and includes representatives from Dumfries and Galloway Council and the Scottish Borders Council, business leaders, higher education institutions, registered social landlords including Wheatley Group and the Scottish Borders Housing Association, as well as social enterprises, and the third and private sectors.
It is estimated that the south of Scotland will need 9,000 new homes in the next 10 years. According to the REP, the current shortage of quality, affordable housing has created challenges for employers in attracting people to live and work in the region.
Between 2011 and 2020, there was a 60% drop in new homes for sale compared to the previous decade in the South, as well as a 40% drop in active SME housebuilders in the region.
In the last 13 months, ten local authorities have declared a housing emergency. These include: Angus, Argyll and Bute, Dumfries and Galloway, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fife, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.
In May this year, the Scottish government declared a national housing emergency.
On the plan, McLennan, said: “The South of Scotland Housing Action Plan and the partnership work that underpins it is a key step in our collaborative response to the housing pressures facing the region.
“As recognised in the plan, housing plays an important role in promoting economic growth and is a key enabler to making the change that we want to see in our rural and island economies.
“Across the local authorities within the South of Scotland we will make available over £27m from the Affordable Housing Supply Programme in 2024-25, helping to deliver much needed affordable homes.
“We remain committed to delivering 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032, of which at least 70% will be for social rent and 10% in rural and island communities.
“I look forward to working with stakeholders and partners on delivering the actions set out in the plan and delivering more affordable homes for people in the South of Scotland.”
Alex Lamb, managing director of Wheatley Homes South, the region’s largest social landlord, said: “Addressing the housing challenges across Scotland requires a partnership approach to developing solutions to meet the need for more homes.
“The housing action plan is a vital step towards creating a better future for our communities and to supporting economic growth and stability in Dumfries and Galloway.
“Wheatley Homes South is proud to contribute to the action plan, with our ambitious proposals to build over 800 modern, high-quality, and affordable homes across the region.”
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