Lib Dems vow to tackle Scotland’s housing emergency ‘head-on’

Liberal Democrats are pledging to tackle Scotland’s housing emergency “head-on”, with leader Alex Cole-Hamilton saying his party wants to see 25,000 new homes built each year.

The party’s manifesto for the Holyrood election, which is due to be released in the coming days, will set out action to return house building to this level.

This could help support 87,000 high quality jobs across Scotland, the Liberal Democrats said.

In addition, they want to reform the country’s planning system, to help speed up decision-making for housing developments with more planning officers.

Liberal Democrats are also proposing a new programme of Net Zero New Towns, which would benefit from features such as rail and public transport links, and district heating systems.

The party also favours a Help to Renovate loan scheme, to bring neglected properties back into use.

Speaking out about their plans, Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “Everyone deserves a warm, safe, affordable place to live.

“However, under the SNP, homelessness has reached record levels. Thousands of children are stuck in temporary accommodation. Affordable housebuilding has collapsed. Too many young professionals are finding that they have no choice but to live at home with their parents.

“The situation has been worsened by skills shortages, Brexit, Liz Truss causing mortgage rates to soar, and the SNP and Greens together cutting £200 million from the affordable homes budget during a housing emergency.”

He added: “Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats both voted against that cut and put the money back in the budget the following year.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats will tackle Scotland’s housing emergency head-on by building more homes and reforming planning so that it is easier to build the homes and infrastructure that we so badly need.”