Home ownership down 50,000 in ‘blighted’ market

THE number of homeowners in Scotland has plummeted, with 50,000 fewer people owning their own property than in 2008.

New figures show that 1.476million people owned their homes in 2016, compared to 1.522million eight years earlier.

This comes amid the introduction of a number of controversial SNP policies, such as the Landing and Building Transaction Tax (LBTT), which experts claim are ‘blighting’ the property market in Scotland.

Yesterday the Scottish Tories led a debate in Holyrood where they condemned the Nationalists for presiding over a housing ‘crisis’ – and called on ministers to build more homes and improve existing stock.

The Tories have also urged the Scottish Government to create new towns across the country, and introduce measures to bring rundown empty properties back onto the market. Glasgow Tory MSP Adam Tomkins led the debate, and claimed some youngsters were being forced to put off ‘life decisions’ such as entering relationships or starting families because they can’t afford to buy homes.

He also defended the Conservative Right To Buy policy which had allowed thousands of families across the UK to step onto the property ladder by purchasing their council houses, usually at a discount. This scheme was brought to an end in Scotland by the SNP with the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014, effective from July 2016.

Yesterday Mr Tomkins said: ‘The charity Shelter has said that almost a quarter of 18 to 40-year-olds across the UK are delaying a family because of a lack of affordable housing – some by up to six years.’

Mr Tomkins also highlighted the difficulties faced by those saving for a ‘decent deposit’, which can be upwards of £20,000 depending on where people are looking to buy.

He added: ‘Those are the issues that we face, and there is no mystery as to what is driving them – the availability of land at reasonable prices, the lack of infrastructure or delays delivering it, planning system delays and conditions, disconnect between agencies, and housing not being seen as a priority by Government.

‘The SNP’s response to the crisis has been poor. In 2007, a full decade ago, Nicola Sturgeon conceded that far too many people in Scotland were unable to satisfy what she called the basic aspiration of home ownership, but in the intervening years the SNP’s commitment to build 35,000 new homes a year has dwindled to less than half that.’

Communities Secretary Angela Constance blamed the Tories for their Right to Buy policy.

‘You have to recognise the results of the toxic Tory legacy of removing half a million houses in Scotland for social rent,’ she said.

‘Housing not seen as a priority’