Glasgow set for £469 million investment in affordable housing

INVESTMENT of £469.71 million is to be made into affordable housing in Glasgow over the next five years.

Glasgow City Council approved the strategic housing investment plan today (January 14), which will see the investment made from 2021 to 2026. The local authority said that it aims to bring an additional 4,400 affordable homes to the city through the funding.

The plan has two main themes in increasing the supply and improving the quality of housing available to the people of Glasgow. The strategy also has six key strategic priorities – new-build housing and area regeneration; the management, maintenance and improvement of existing housing; raising private rented sector standards; the tackling of fuel poverty, energy inefficiency and climate change; improved access to housing across all tenures; and the promotion of health and wellbeing.

The plan also takes into account the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly on the 37 affordable housing development sites that were temporarily closed during the initial lockdown – with a subsequent average project delay of around three months. A key focus of the blueprint is to ensure the delivery of those sites.

Councillor Kenny McLean, city convener for neighbourhoods, housing and public realm at Glasgow City Council, said, “The new strategic housing investment plan for Glasgow will help to build thousands of new affordable and sustainable homes across the city for all types and sizes of household, and meet the challenges of the pandemic in delivering developments in the targeted time period.  These new homes will contribute to the development of thriving communities throughout Glasgow, benefiting us all.”