Scot Lib Dems call for investment in affordable housing in Mid Scotland & Fife

Scottish Liberal Democrat lead candidate for Mid Scotland & Fife, councillor Claire McLaren has today called on the Scottish Government to invest in affordable housing in Stirling, Perth & Kinross, Clackmannanshire and Fife as she revealed that the number of homes completed has fallen by a third over the past two years.

In response to a question from the Scottish Liberal Democrats, the government admitted that last year just 28 homes were completed in Clackmannanshire (the lowest level in the last ten years), 414 in Fife (down from 960 in 2017/18), 262 in Perth & Kinross and 119 in Stirling. This means that in total just 823 homes were built in the Mid Scotland & Fife region, down from 1,216 in 2022/23, and well below the 1,591 affordable homes completed in 2017/18.

Scottish Liberal Democrats recently revealed that the Scottish Government have repeatedly failed to spend their budget for building new homes, despite homelessness reaching record levels and dramatic falls in the number of affordable housing units under construction.

In a parliamentary question, the Scottish Government were asked for the total underspend in its housing capital budgets. The cumulative underspends in the last four years come to a total of £376m, including £44m in 203/24, the last year for which figures were available.

Commenting on the figures, Claire McLaren said:

“It’s so hard for young people in our region to find somewhere to live or get on the housing ladder.

“The SNP government has completely failed to respond to the national housing emergency. Instead of a housing revolution we’ve suffered a revolving door of Housing Ministers re-announcing the same commitments while the rate of new affordable homes being built has collapsed.

“When I speak with Scottish housebuilders, they are dripping with contempt for how SNP ministers have handled this issue in recent years.

“I’m proud of the work I have done as a councillor to get new homes approved and new units secured for council tenants, including helping to create 34 new units in a rural area at Ballinluig, north of Dunkeld, which will deliver much needed new rural housing.

"However council budgets have been cut to bits and there is an urgent need for more money to invest in building affordable homes.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats want to make sure everyone has a warm and secure place to live and every vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the second peach ballot will help to deliver change with fairness at its heart.

“Scotland deserves better. And with the Scottish Liberal Democrats, you can vote for it.”