22,000 new-build homes completed during latest 12-months reporting period

ALMOST 22,000 new homes were built in Scotland, during the 12 months up to June last year – according to latest figures.

Says the Scottish Government’s chief statistician (here), the exact figure of 21,825 all-sector new-build homes represented an increase of nine per cent (1,806 homes) on the 20,019 completions during the previous year (comprising a four per cent increase – 615 homes – from the private sector, a 27 per cent increase – 540 homes – from local authorities and a 21 per cent increase – 651 homes – from housing associations).

Among other findings:

• The number of new-build homes started across all sectors decreased by 13 per cent (2,765 homes), with 19,060 starts in the year to end June 2022, down from 21,825 starts in the previous year. Private-led new-build starts decreased by 15 per cent (2,611 homes) and local authority new build starts dropped by 12 per cent (234 homes), whilst housing association new build approvals increased by three per cent (80 homes);

• Separate figures published as part of the UK House Price Index show a total of 12,013 private new-build sales transactions in Scotland in the year to end August 2022, up four per cent (508 transactions) on the 11,505 transactions recorded in the year to end August 2021;

• Latest social sector new housebuilding figures for the year to end September 2022 show an increase of 17 per cent (982 homes) to 6,704 completions, with local authority completions rising by 40 per cent (799 homes) to 2,792 and housing association completions up by five per cent (183 homes) to 3,912;

• Social sector starts fell by 16 per cent (797 homes) to 4,161, with local authority starts increasing slightly by one per cent (11 homes) to 1,910 and housing association approvals decreasing by 26 per cent (808 homes) to 2,251; and

• The 42,865 long-term empty properties as at September 2022 is a decrease of two per cent (901 properties) from the 43,766 properties in 2021. Across the same time period the number of second homes has increased by two per cent (397 homes) from 23,890 to 24,287.

Meanwhile, separate quarterly statistics on the Affordable Housing Supply programme show there were a total of 2,565 ‘affordable’ homes completed in the latest quarter, July to September 2022.

This brings the total number of ‘affordable’ homes completed in the 12 months to end September 2022 to 9,449, an increase of two per cent (219 homes) on the 9,230 homes completed in the previous year.

There were increases in the number of completions for social rent by 17 per cent (1,127 homes); however, ‘affordable’ rent completions decreased by 28 per cent (387 homes), and ‘affordable’ home ownership completions fell by 42 per cent (521 homes).

And there were 1,028 ‘affordable’ homes approved in the latest quarter July to September 2022, which brings the total number of ‘affordable’ homes approved in the 12 months to end June 2022 to 7,160, a decrease of 16 per cent (1,414 homes) on the 8,574 homes approved in the previous year.

There were decreases in the number of approvals for social rent (by 13 per cent, or 813 homes), ‘affordable’ rent (by 18 per cent, or 195 homes), and ‘affordable’ home ownership (by 37 per cent, or 406 homes).

There were 2,172 ‘affordable’ homes started in the latest quarter July to September 2022, which brings the total number of ‘affordable’ homes started in the 12 months to end September 2022 to 8,256, a decrease of 19 per cent (1,877 homes) on the 10,133 started in the previous year.

There were decreases in the number of starts for social rent (by 11 per cent, or 804 homes), ‘affordable’ rent (by 37 per cent, or 548 homes), and ‘affordable’ home ownership (by 42 per cent, or 525 homes).

Adds the Scottish Governement: “Quarterly affordable housing supply statistics are used to inform progress against Scottish Government affordable housing delivery targets, in which the ambition is to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70 per cent will be for social rent and 10 per cent will be in remote, rural and island communities.

“There have been a total of 4,927 completions so far against the 110,000 target, across the period 23 March 2022 to 30 September 2022, consisting of 4,188 (85 per cent) homes for social rent, 418 (eight per cent) for affordable rent, and 321 (seven per cent) for affordable home ownership.

“Figures on the remote, rural and island communities element of the target are planned to be reported on as part of future annual affordable housing supply out-turn reports, although we are considering whether it is feasible for these figures to be reported on a quarterly basis in addition to this.”

Pictured: Linlithgow, Picture credit: Place Design Scotland

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