The Scottish Government has met its target of building 50,000 affordable homes a year later than expected.
Statistics published on Tuesday revealed that the ambition was achieved in March 2022, after 9,757 affordable homes were delivered in 2021/22 – the highest figure in a single financial year since 2000/01.
The original timescale of delivery by March 2021 was affected by “significant challenges” presented by the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.
The total number of homes completed in the 12 months to the end of March 2022 saw an increase of 51% (3,279 homes) on the 6,478 completed in the previous year.
Of the 50,000 affordable homes completed between 1 April 2016 and March 23 2022, 34,405 homes (69%) were for social rent, 6,245 (12%) were for affordable rent, and 9,350 (19%) were for affordable home ownership.
The Scottish Government is now working towards delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.
Of these, 70% are expected to be made available for social rent, and 10% will be built in rural and island communities.
Some 1,119 houses have been completed against the new target, latest statistics show.
Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “The pandemic showed the value of a good quality home, but it also threw up significant challenges for all those involved in delivering affordable housing over the past two years.
“I am very pleased that despite that, we have reached our 50,000 target and that since 2007 we have delivered 111,750 affordable homes, with over 78,000 of these for social rent.”
Robison added: “We have now started progress towards our next target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which 70% will be for social rent and 10% in remote, rural and island communities, as part of our ambition to ensure everyone has a warm, safe, affordable place to call home.
“Scotland has led the way across the UK with the delivery of affordable homes, but this is just part of our mission to deliver a fairer housing sector.”
Homes for Scotland chief executive Jane Wood welcomed the figures – but said there is “no room for complacency” while activity is still below pre-Covid levels.
“Ensuring we have the homes that all those living in Scotland require to meet housing need and aspiration is essential to our country’s social wellbeing and economic success, so the increase in completions across all tenures that has been announced today is clearly very welcome.
“However, there is still a very long way to go. Figures are still significantly down on activity levels pre-Covid and 20% below what we believe is required each year, so there is no room for complacency – particularly given the very difficult circumstances currently facing home builders in terms of labour and material shortages and the significant cost pressures that result, affecting both public and private sectors.”
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