Home completions rise but still short of demand

The total number of new houses completed in Scotland rose last year.

Official figures show 17,739 completions in 2017, a 4.8% rise on the prior year, but Homes for Scotland chief executive Nicola Barclay said the figure was still below what was required.

She said: “A modest 806 extra homes demonstrates the challenge facing us at a time when we need to rapidly increase supply.

“Our members, who deliver homes of all tenures, tell us that difficulties with the regulatory consents process means they can’t get diggers on site quickly enough to satisfy the need and demand.”

A builder at work.