New-build housing total tops 20,000 – Place Design Scotland

THERE were just over 20,000 ‘all-sector’ (private sector, local authority and housing association) new-build homes completed in Scotland during the 12 months to the end of March this year, according to quarterly statistics on housebuilding and affordable housing supply.

Says the Scottish Government’s chief statistician, the exact figure of 20,767 new-builds represents an increase of 40 per cent (5,900 homes) on the 14,867 completions during the previous 12-month period, which coincides with lockdown measure to combat the spread of Covid-19.

Notes the Scottish Government, here: “Increases were seen across private-led new-build completions (29 per cent or 3,157 homes), local authority new-build completions (87 per cent or 1,256 homes), and housing association new-build completions (63 per cent or 1,488 homes).

“The number of new-build homes started across all sectors increased by a smaller amount, with 18,672 starts in the year to end March 2022, up five per cent (914 homes) on the 17,758 starts in the previous year.

“Private-led new-build starts rose by three per cent (430 homes) and local authority new-build starts increased by 43 per cent (585 homes), whilst housing association new-build approvals dropped by four per cent (101 homes).”

The announcement adds: “Separate figures published as part of the UK House Price Index show a total of 11,850 private new-build sales transactions in Scotland in the year to end May 2022, up 14 per cent (1,473 transactions) on the 10,382 transactions recorded in the year to end May 2021, and an increase of ten per cent (1,038 transactions) on the year to end May 2020.

“Latest social sector new housebuilding figures to end June 2022 show an increase of 23 per cent (1,170 homes) to 6,254 new-build completions, which compares to 5,084 new-build completions in the previous year. Starts, however, fell by four per cent (163 homes) to 4,437, down from 4,600 new-build starts in the previous year.”

Among other findings:

1,250 affordable homes completed in the latest quarter April to June 2022. This brings the total number of affordable homes completed in the 12 months to end June 2022 to 9,334, an increase of 17 per cent (1,364 homes) on the 7,970 homes completed in the previous year. There were increases in the number of completions for social rent (by 29 per cent or 1,656 homes); however affordable rent completions decreased by 11 per cent or 136 homes), and affordable home ownership completions fell by 14 per cent or 156 homes);

There were 1,005 affordable homes approved in the latest quarter April to June 2022, which brings the total number of affordable homes approved in the 12 months to end June 2022 to 7,775, a decrease of three per cent (127 homes) on the 7,978 homes approved in the previous year. Approvals for affordable rent dropped by ten per cent or 96 homes, and approvals for affordable home ownership fell by 13 per cent or 203 homes, whilst approvals for social rent showed a slight increase of 0.3 per cent or 20 homes; and

There were 951 affordable homes started in the latest quarter April to June 2022, which brings the total number of affordable homes started in the 12 months to end June 2022 to 7,287, a decrease of 35 per cent (3,881 homes) on the 11,168 started in the previous year. Starts for social rent fell by 31 per cent or 2,598 homes, starts for affordable rent decreased by 61 per cent or 985 homes, whilst starts for affordable home ownership fell by 26 per cent or 298 homes.

Continues the Scottish Government announcement: “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 ten per cent will be in remote, rural and island communities.

“There have been a total of 2,362 completions so far against the 110,000 target, across the period 23 March 2022 to 30 June 2022, consisting of 2,068 homes for social rent, 127 for affordable rent, and 167 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.”

Picture credit: Place Design Scotland