Exclusive:Homes Scotland: New campaign aims to force housing crisis up political agenda

Homes for Scotland (HFS), which represents housebuilders, wants a minimum of 25,000 new homes to be built per year across all tenures and types to help combat the housing emergency.

The organisation is also calling for reforms to the planning system, which it said is mired in lengthy delays and bureaucratic hurdles.

HFS said there was an accumulated shortfall of more than 110,000 homes since 2008, while 250,000 people are on housing waiting lists and 17,240 households are in temporary accommodation, including 10,180 children.

It comes as a new report says Scotland must deliver a minimum of 15,693 affordable homes a year over the next parliamentary term - a total of 78,465 over five-years – with at least half of them needed in the east.

The new HFS campaign, called Homes Build Futures, aims to highlight the impact of the “chronic housing undersupply” on families and communities.

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Jane Wood, chief executive of HFS, said: “Whether on homelessness, waiting lists or the ongoing decline in the number of homes being built, the figures on housing speak for themselves and, frankly, Scotland’s people deserve better. That is the bottom line.

“The Homes Build Futures campaign aims to tackle this head on in what is a vital period ahead of next year’s Scottish Parliament election, informing civic society to encourage more voices to join the collective push on our politicians for a resolution.

“Homes Build Futures aims to challenge the status quo and mobilise the public to be advocates for more homes.​ We also want to use the campaign as a platform to drive productive and outcome-driven dialogue between policymakers and the home building sector to address and tackle more positive housing outcomes from here on in.

“Even if you think this issue doesn’t affect you specifically, it will be impacting family members, friends and colleagues in some shape or form. Crucially, it is our young people and future generations that will suffer most if action isn’t taken now.”

Josh Littlejohn, the founder of homelessness charity Social Bite, which is backing the campaign, said: “There has never been a more crucial time for an initiative such as Homes Build Futures. It’s imperative that we find a long-term solution to the housing crisis, which is leaving so many people vulnerable.”

Architect and TV presenter George Clarke, who has also pledged his support, added: “While having a place to call a home is about so much more than bricks and mortar, the stark reality is that so many people across the country are unable to even begin to dream of what it’s like to have their own home as simply not enough houses are being built.

“Importantly, delivering the homes we need has wide-ranging positive impacts.”

It comes as the Scottish Parliament starts its stage three line-by-line consideration of the Housing (Scotland) Bill.

Housing Secretary Mairi McAllan said: “The Scottish Government has a strong track record in delivering affordable homes. However, I want to go further and faster, ensuring that the entire housing sector, public and private, plays its part in delivering the homes we need.

“That is why I have set out in my Housing Emergency Action Plan a new all-tenure delivery ambition, working with the housebuilding sector to increase housing delivery by at least 10 per cent each year over the next three years. I have listened to calls for multi-year funding to give housebuilders more long-term certainty.

“Our commitment of up to £4.9 billion in affordable homes over the next four years marks a significant uptick in funding, further details of which will be published in the Spending Review. This long-term certainty and increase in funding will support a significant increase in delivery of around 36,000 affordable homes and provide up to 24,000 children with a warm, safe home.”