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Daily Record
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Record
New document aims to highlight Dumfries and Galloway housing opportunities
The South of Scotland Housing Prospectus outlines the unique development opportunities in the region A new document aims to highlight the housebuilding opportunities available across Dumfries and Galloway. The South of Scotland Housing Prospectus outlines the unique development opportunities in the region, some of the key sites and the partners who stand ready to help bring forward developments. With an expectation that more than 9,000 new homes may be needed over the next decade, the project aims to encourage housebuilders and developers to gain a foothold in the region. The prospectus has been co-produced by the South of Scotland Regional Economic Partnership with independent property specialists Rettie and Co and is a key part of the South of Scotland Housing Action Plan, which the Scottish Government launched last year. Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: 'I'm encouraged by the strong partnership approach in developing the Prospectus to support the delivery of more homes, of all tenures, across the South of Scotland. 'Good quality housing is critical to support health, wellbeing, life chances, job prospects, tackling child poverty and driving economic growth. 'We remain focussed on delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 across Scotland with at least 10% of these in rural and island areas. 'That is why we are investing £768m illion through the affordable housing supply budget this financial year.' South of Scotland Enterprise chairman, Russel Griggs OBE, said: 'Never has there been such an exciting time for the South of Scotland with unprecedented levels of investment paving the way for new jobs, better connecting places and attracting new people to live, work and learn in the south of Scotland. 'This prospectus shows that the south of Scotland is open for business to housing developers. 'The demand for quality homes across all tenures is undeniable, and we look forward to working with developers on this exciting journey.' Dumfries and Galloway Council Leader, Councillor Gail Macgregor added: 'The south of Scotland needs more housing, and this prospectus showcases that the region is a prime location for developers to build homes. 'There is a strong partnership approach and support from regional partners, ensuring the delivery of homes is a priority.'
Scotsman
26-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Dunbar charity receives £4,000 boost from Persimmon Homes East Scotland
The Ridge, a charity that provides access to training and support for people who live in Dunbar and the surrounding area, has received a £4,000 donation from Persimmon Homes East Scotland through its Community Champions initiative. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... In addition to the financial support, the charity has also received a generous package of tools and equipment to enhance its work in the local community, ranging from new power tools to PPE. The Ridge plays a vital role in Dunbar, offering training, employment opportunities, and support services for people from all walks of life. The donation will support the charity's continued development of local skills and practical support to help vulnerable members of the community to overcome barriers and fulfil their potential. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Persimmon East Scotland Managing Director Neil Parry was joined by local MSP and Scottish Government Minister for Housing Paul McLennan, and Homes for Scotland Chief Executive Jane Wood, to handover the equipment and present a cheque to the charity's Managing Director Katie Wood. Neil Parry (Persimmon Homes East Scotland Managing Director), Jane Wood (Homes for Scotland Chief Executive), Paul McLennan MSP, Katie Wood (The Ridge Managing Director) and Jen (Joinery Apprentice at The Ridge). Katie Wood, Managing Director at The Ridge, said: 'We are thrilled to receive the generous donation from Persimmon East are already putting the equipment and PPE to good use, and the donation will help us in delivering our services to the local community. 'It was great to welcome Neil, Paul and Jane to our base in Dunbar and show them what we do. I am delighted that the Community Champions initiative has chosen to support our work.' Paul McLennan MSP said: 'I am so pleased to see the Ridge receive a donation from Persimmon East Scotland's Community Champions initiative. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The Ridge is a fantastic community charity making a positive impact on the lives of many in Dunbar. They are an asset to our local community, and I am delighted to see their work supported in this way. Thank you to Persimmon East Scotland for inviting me along to present the cheque, I was thrilled to be involved.' Neil Parry, Managing Director of Persimmon East Scotland, said: 'The Ridge does fantastic work helping local people gain new skills and confidence and we're delighted to support their efforts by making a donation and providing them with additional equipment. 'We want to support the communities we build in and I hope this donation will help the Ridge continue their positive impact in Dunbar and ensure more local people can benefit from the range of services they provide.' The donation was made through Persimmon's Community Champions scheme, which sees each of the housebuilder's 29 regional businesses donate at least £6,000 every quarter to local charities, schools, and community groups. For more information about the initiative and Persimmon's wider community work, visit
STV News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Labour calls for statement on housing emergency
Scottish Labour has called for a ministerial statement on the housing emergency, just over a year since it was declared. The Scottish Parliament voted to declare the emergency last year, following in the footsteps of a number of councils after record homelessness figures. But Labour has criticised the Scottish Government's handling of the issue after figures released in March showed the amount of children in temporary accommodation increased further. It is understood there are plans for a statement in Holyrood this week, subject to the agreement of MSPs. Labour's housing spokesman Mark Griffin has pushed for housing minister Paul McLennan to appear before MSPs in Holyrood to lay out what the Government has done to tackle the issue and face questions from members. The minister, Griffin claimed, has 'sat on his hands'. 'It's been one year since a national housing emergency was declared in Scotland, but things are getting worse instead of better on the SNP's watch,' he said. 'The truth is the housing minister declared a housing emergency then sat on his hands while it deepened. 'Time and time again the SNP has opted for empty rhetoric in place of meaningful action, and it is destroying trust in politics. 'The minister owes it to the people suffering the consequences of his government's housing emergency to take accountability and answer questions on this important issue.' McLennan said: 'We are determined to tackle the housing emergency and ensure that everyone in Scotland can have somewhere to call home. We have a strong track record in delivering affordable homes with 136,000 affordable homes delivered, with 97,000 of those for social rent, between 2007 and the end of December 2024. That's 47% more per head of population than England and 73% more than Wales as of March 2024. 'We are investing £768 million in affordable housing this year, including £40m targeted to the local authorities with sustained temporary accommodation pressures. We are determined to deliver 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032, with at least 70% for social rent. 'We have also announced a long-term commitment of £100m for mid-market rent – and with institutional investment we will grow that fund to at least £500m to support the construction of around 2,800 mid-market rent homes. This is a long-term commitment over several years to make public funds go further and will form part of the affordable housing supply programme.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
STV News
13-05-2025
- Business
- STV News
Housebuilding plummets by nearly 4,000 in a year, figures show
Housebuilding in Scotland has plummeted, figures have shown, with nearly 4,000 fewer homes in supply in 2023-24 compared to the year before. Some 20,364 homes were supplied that year, compared to 24,348 in 2022-23 – a decrease of 16.4%, or 3,984 homes. Of these, 97.9% were new builds, 1.8% were conversions, and 0.3% were renovations. As of March 31 2024, there were 177,264 applications on council or common housing register housing lists. The figure represents a 1.2% rise from the year before, although Scots can make multiple applications across different local authorities. Meanwhile, the number of social homes increased by 6,102 last year, reaching 633,030 – up from 626,928 the previous year. There were 325,477 local authority dwellings and 307,553 housing association dwellings recorded. The number of council lettings increased by 7% in 2023-24 to 25,423. A total of 49% of these were made to homeless households, 26% to those on housing waiting lists, while 21% were transfers between existing tenants. Three per cent were classified as 'other'. The number of eviction notices to council tenants jumped 10.2% over the same time to 16,640, although the figure is still 32.2% lower than pre-pandemic levels. A total of 91% of these were due to rent arrears, a spike from the 85% figure recorded in 2022-23. Overall, there were 2.7 million estimated dwellings in Scotland, 60% of which were owner-occupied, 23% were social rented properties, 13.2% were privately rented, and 3.7% were vacant or second homes. Reacting to the figures, housing minister Paul McLennan said he recognised 'these are exceptionally challenging times'. 'However,' he said, 'it is encouraging that affordable housing starts and approvals have increased in the year to December 2024, and we will continue to work with partners to increase these levels even further through our £768 million investment this year, an increase of £200 million when compared to last financial year. 'Providing everyone in Scotland with the right to a warm, safe and affordable home is essential to our key priority of eradicating child poverty.' He said the Scottish Government had a 'strong track record' on affordable housing, including the delivery of 136,000 homes between 2007 and 2024, with 97,000 of those for social rent. 'That's 47% more per head of population than England and 73% more than Wales as of March 2024,' he said. 'Since we declared a housing emergency last May we have been working at pace with a range of stakeholders across the housing system to take urgent action. 'This has involved working closely with those local authorities who are experiencing the greatest and most sustained homelessness and temporary accommodation pressures. 'We are also engaging the expertise of the Housing to 2040 Strategic Board and Housing Investment Task Force to support the response. 'Throughout the development of the Housing (Scotland) Bill we have made sure to strike the appropriate balance between protecting tenants and providing incentives for continued investment in the private rented sector through measures such as rent control areas.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Herald Scotland
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
New housebuilding hits five year Scottish low in housing emergency
Some 20,364 new houses became available in Scotland in 2023/24 - the lowest number outside the Covid pandemic year of 2020/21 since 2018/19. It comes as the number of homes completed under the Affordable Housing Supply Programme has slumped to 8,180 in 2024, again the lowest outside the pandemic year of 2020/21 since 2018. And the number of housing association new homes, typically aimed at the affordable market has dropped from 5,020 in 2022/23 to 3,378 in 2023/24. In the pre-pandemic year of 2018/19 there were 4086 new homes. READ MORE: The Scottish Government officially declared a national housing emergency in May last year, after a number of local authorities had already done so. Housing minister Paul McLennan said he recognised these are "exceptionally challenging times" but accentuated the positives, saying that affordable housing starts and approvals have "increased" in the year to December 2024. Approvals went from 6,191 in 2023 to 6,440 in 2024 while starts rose from 6247 to 6501. But the number of approvals in 2024 is still almost half that agreed in the pre-pandemic years of 2018 when there were 12,478 agreements in place and in 2019 when there were 11,885. Mr McLennan said that the Scottish Government would "continue to work with partners to increase these levels even further". It comes after the First Minister John Swinney was asked to intervene as numbers sleeping rough on the streets of Scotland's biggest city while seeking official help has tripled in the space of just over a year while a key night shelter operated by Homeless Project Scotland faced closure. The number of households officially reporting that they had slept rough in the three months before they sought homeless help in Glasgow shot up from an average of 28 a month in 2022/23, before the city declared a housing emergency to 86-a-month in the first 11 months of 2024 after it. In 2019/20, the year before the Covid pandemic it was at 43-a-month. The Scottish Tenants' Organisation said that Mr McLennan's role should be given Scottish cabinet status to develop an urgently needed national housing action plan to build tens of thousand of new homes to tackle a "housing disaster". "Tackling the housing and homeless emergency has to become the number one priority of the Scottish Government, " they said. "Unless the above is implemented the Scottish Government will continue from one disaster to the next." Affordable housing The Scottish Government has increased funding for affordable housing with a budget of £768 million in 2025/26. But critics say that this has not made up for past cuts and the ability to keep up with of last year, the Scottish Government's affordable homes budget took a cumulative hit of over £280m over the previous three years without taking inflation into account - based against the 2021/22 allocation of £779.776m - despite a pledge by outgoing First Minister Humza Yousaf of a £80m uplift for affordable housing over the next two years. Housing campaigners had been staggered by a £196.08m (26%) cut to the budget in the 2024/25 alone, without taking into account inflation, with the spending plans set at £555.862m before an extra £40m was promised by Mr Yousaf. If the budget had kept up with inflation since 2021/22 in 2024/25, the spending plans would have been at an estimated £985.32m. When inflation has been taken into account, it was estimated last year that instead of getting £2.631bn over the three years - the affordable homes budget was at £2.058bn - a drop of £573m. "Mr McLennan said: "Providing everyone in Scotland the right to a warm, safe and affordable home is essential to our key priority of eradicating child poverty. "We have a strong track record in affordable housing, delivering 136,000 affordable homes including 97,000 for social rent between 2007 and 2024. That's 47% more per head of population than England and 73% more than Wales as of March 2024." The Scottish Government has fallen way behind in a key target in its 2021 Programme for Government to deliver 110,000 social and affordable homes by 2032 with 70% for social rent. As of the start of last year there were had been 19,980 affordable homes completed, that received some sort of public money support in the first two years till March 31 - meaning it was at that point already 2,620 short of an 11,300 homes a year target As of the end of June, with seven-and-a-half years of the target to go 87,527 homes remained to be completed to meet the target, at an average of over 11,670 a year. Mr McLennan added: "Since we declared a housing emergency last May we have been working at pace a range of stakeholders across the housing system to take urgent action. This has involved working closely with those local authorities who are experiencing the greatest and most sustained homelessness and temporary accommodation pressures. We are also engaging the expertise of the Housing to 2040 Strategic Board and Housing Investment Task Force to support the response. Paul McLennan (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire) 'Throughout the development of the Housing (Scotland) Bill we have made sure to strike the appropriate balance between protecting tenants and providing incentives for continued investment in the private rented sector through measures such as rent control areas.' 'Throughout the development of the Housing (Scotland) Bill we have made sure to strike the appropriate balance between protecting tenants and providing incentives for continued investment in the private rented sector through measures such as rent control areas.'
