July 28 2008

Scotland will see land for housing brought forward more effectively in future following the publication today of a revised planning policy termed Scottish Planning Policy 3 (SPP 3).

SPP3 will provide a platform for the industry to build upon in the year ahead, and help to ensure the long-term national ambition to increase housing supply in Scotland to 35,000 a year by the middle of next decade is met.

 Planning Minister Stewart Stevenson said: "By better integrating the identification of housing requirements and local housing strategies with development plans we will ensure that sufficient land is brought forward to enable provision of new housing of the right kind, of the right numbers, in the right places.

"SPP3 will make it easier for local authorities to make sure that they always have a five-year supply of effective land for housing, and enables them to bring forward more land for housing if it is required, for example, if some of the identified land becomes constrained.

"Crucially, SPP3 also sets out that developers and planning authorities work together to help provide high quality well designed homes in sustainable locations across Scotland that will bring essential benefits to communities."

 The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon made clear in a statement to Parliament on 25 June that the Scottish Government is committed to several key measures to help alleviate the current challenges in the housing market.  Those include £250 million to help first time buyers, in particular through shared equity schemes, and a £25 million Homeowners Support Fund to assist those in extreme difficulties with their mortgages.

 

Post your comments

Your name (required)
Your email (not displayed)
Comments (required)
	All comments are pre-moderated and must obey our house rules.