THE role of a new Scottish Government housing agency was explored by industry leaders at a recent event focused on tackling the country’s housing crisis.
In January this year, the first minister announced an intention to establish a new national housing agency, ‘More Homes Scotland’, to bring together different parts of the housing system, with the aim of improving coordination between policy, land, planning, funding and delivery.
A discussion involving senior housing, planning and development leaders at Edinburgh’s National Museum of Scotland highlighted the opportunity for the agency to help address ‘fragmentation’ across the system and support a more joined-up approach to delivery.
Pauline Mills, technical director at Taylor Wimpey, said, “More Homes Scotland needs the authority to set direction, remove barriers and ensure all agencies work together to accelerate housing delivery across Scotland.”
Dr Jocelyne Fleming, policy & public affairs lead for Scotland at the Chartered Institute of Building, added, “To address Scotland’s housing challenges, a national housing agency could provide clear strategic leadership and help align land, planning, infrastructure and finance behind delivery. Done well, it could support the efficient delivery of the high-quality, affordable homes Scottish communities so desperately need. We encourage all parties to consider how such an agency could enable a coordinated housing system to deliver new homes at scale and pace.”
The More Homes Scotland Roundtable event was hosted by Building Relations, a PR and communications agency focused on property and the built environment, in partnership with Burness Paull, a law firm with a significant housebuilding practice. Guests included representatives from Taylor Wimpey, CCG Construction, Places for People and Scottish Futures Trust, as well as members of the Chartered Institute of Building.
The discussion was chaired by Alasdair Sutherland, head of planning & environment at Burness Paull, and Rachel Colgan, founding director at Building Relations PR.
Discussion points included the need for clear leadership, accountability and delivery focus within any new body, as well as closer collaboration between national government, local authorities, infrastructure providers and the private sector.
While attendees said the new agency could help address some of these issues and offer a genuine opportunity to improve delivery, some cautioned that its effectiveness would depend on how it is implemented and whether it will be given sufficient authority to influence the wider system.
Those attending described a housing sector under strain. Developers pointed to increasing build costs, infrastructure constraints and the growing complexity of development sites, alongside what some characterised as a fragmented and, at times, contradictory planning and policy landscape.
Rachel Colgan, founding director at Building Relations PR, said, “If this discussion unearthed one thing, it’s that collaboration across the housing sector will be key to making More Homes Scotland effective. The appetite to deliver more homes is there, but the sector needs practical support, better coordination and a system that helps turn ambition into delivery.”
Alasdair Sutherland, head of planning & environment at Burness Paull, commented, “Addressing Scotland’s housing crisis is a complex issue. Establishing a housing agency could be a significant step forward, but we must get it right. There is a big prize if we do – not only will it ensure more people have access to the homes they need but it also has the potential to unlock wider social and economic benefits for Scotland.”
A report summarising the discussion and setting out the key themes, insights and recommendations is expected to be published in the coming weeks.
