Creativity and collaboration needed to build homes across Scotland

As has been well reported, The Scottish parliament declared a national ‘housing emergency’ in May this year. With housing completions in freefall, creative and collaboration will be required if the housebuilding sector is to be freed up to create the sustainable homes they want to build in the communities people need them across Scotland.

Under Keir Starmer’s new Labour government, chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced plans to build 1.5 million homes in England over the next five years, with an overhaul of planning restrictions, and a commitment to reducing ‘red tape’ to allow the industry to build more homes for owner occupiers in the private and social housing sector alike. The prospect of Scotland creating a similar more positive environment for housing does not currently look particularly positive.

The Mossend decision last summer effectively disregarded housing shortfalls, making it challenging to obtain permission for housing on unallocated sites until NPF4’s local development plans have been implemented. The test will be how Councils react to opportunities under the Call for Sites that are now starting to be rolled out across local authorities.

In other news, Holyrood’s ambitious framework to halt biodiversity loss by 2030, and reverse it with large-scale restoration by 2045, is reflected in NPF4 which requires all major development to include ‘significant biodiversity enhancements’. The Scottish government has asked NatureScot has to devise an approach; their resulting consultation closed in May and we await further updates. The strategy will undoubtedly focus on securing enhancements on site, but it is also likely to allow partnerships with landowners of Scotland’s natural habitats in certain circumstances to enable BNG offsetting for habitat creation and enhancement.

Against our current Planning backdrop, collaboration and a flexible and creative approach is badly needed by housebuilders, Scottish government, planning experts, local government and landowners if new sites are to be unlocked for much needed housing.

https://www.savills.co.uk/insight-and-opinion/savills-news/366675/creativity-and-collaboration-needed-to-build-homes-across-scotland