Housing professionals in Scotland fear the Scottish Government’s affordable housing targets may be unattainable after the UK’s Brexit vote, according to a new survey by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Scotland.
Nearly 70 per cent of those surveyed were concerned about the prospect of meeting the Scottish Government’s target to build 10,000 affordable homes a year and over half were concerned that the decision of the vote would have a negative impact on their organisation’s development plans.
CIH Scotland said that its members also expressed concerns about the future impact of the Brexit vote on community cohesion and the ability of minority groups to access housing in the future.
Official figures show the completion of new homes by Scotland’s social housing sector has declined by over 2,000 from a peak of 5,989 units in 2009-10 to 3,458 units in 2015-16.
CIH Scotland director, Annie Mauger said, “We cannot predict what the future holds but this survey demonstrates just how much uncertainty there is in Scotland’s housing sector. In these times of economic and political uncertainty, we must ensure that we continue to work together to provide the new homes Scotland needs to support its growing population.
“Just as worrying as the lack of confidence in home-building is the concern members have about the potential impact of the recent referendum vote on our communities. The housing sector has always had a strong role in promoting community cohesion and this must remain a key focus going forward.”
