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Housing Supply Task Force
27/11/2007
A new body charged with tackling obstacles that are hampering the provision of more homes met today to discuss how it can help improve the delivery of housing in rural areas.
The Housing Supply Task Force has a membership drawn from local authorities, house-builders, the housing association movement, and housing interest groups - people in a position to bring about real change. Professor Mark Shucksmith and Susan Torrance of the Highland Housing Alliance also attended today's meeting.
Communities and Sport Minister Stewart Maxwell also revealed that increasing rural housing featured in recent discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead, signalling the importance the Scottish Government places on addressing this issue.
Mr Maxwell said:
"The Scottish government wants to see an increase in the number of homes that are being built across all sectors. I am acutely aware of the particular problems facing Scotland's rural communities.
"This will be a major challenge, not just for the government but for local authorities, housing providers and the construction industry.
"I want to reassure local authorities in rural areas that they have explicit political backing for a bold approach to land allocation for housing.
"While there is undoubtedly some evidence of good practice, it is equally clear that more could be done, and needs to be done, in some areas.
"The Task Force contains the main power brokers; representatives of organisations that I believe will help resolve the problems that get in the way of adequate housing delivery in Scotland."
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment Richard Lochhead said:
"I welcome the explicit attention which the Task Force is giving to the issue of rural housing. Solving the housing supply problem is crucial to rural Scotland's sustainable development and is also a key aspect of the work of the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting led by Mark Shucksmith.
"We need to make sure that local people have access to good quality housing that they can afford to buy or to rent
"I look forward to continuing to engage with my Ministerial colleagues and with the Task Force itself as their work progresses. "
On 21 June 2007 Mr Maxwell announced to Parliament his intention to establish a Housing Supply Task Force to tackle the obstacles, such as land supply and planning issues that have been hampering the delivery of more housing.
The Task Force is charged with bringing about practical improvements in the delivery of housing of all types, by addressing blockages that are holding up development.
Higher demand for housing is not being matched by adequate supply. Average house prices rose by 72 per cent between 2002 and 2006, but only 2 per cent more homes were built in 2006 than in 2002.
The Housing Supply Task Force membership is as follows:
Stewart Maxwell, Minister for Communities and Sport
Councillor Harry McGuigan (CoSLA Housing Portfolio)
Councillor Alison Hay (CoSLA Planning Portfolio)
Ronnie Jacobs (Chair, Homes for Scotland)
Jonathan Fair (Homes for Scotland)
Kennedy Foster (Council of Mortgage Lenders)
Archie Stoddart (Shelter)
Brian Gegan (Scottish Federation of Housing Associations)
The Committee of Inquiry on Crofting was established earlier this year and is due to report in the spring of 2008.