Social housing target missed seventh time

A TARGET to build 200 new social houses in Dundee has been missed for the seventh year running.

Eighty-one new homes for social rent were completed, well short of Dundee City Council’s own target.

In an update in November, councillors were told it was hoped the most recent figures would see the target met or exceeded for the first time.

But Scottish Government data shows it was missed by the SNPled council for the seventh year, with 560 council houses built in the city since 2015-16. The target was 1,400.

A council spokesperson said “significant pressures” on the construction sector and wider economy were having an impact.

Scottish Conservative North East MSP Maurice Golden said the figures are “really poor”.

He said: “Targets are being consistently missed and both the Scottish Government and the council must explain why that is.

“The difficulties facing those trying to get their own place are well documented and with the cost-of-living crisis things are only going to get harder.”

He added: “Ultimately housing is a matter devolved to

Scotland and local authorities themselves have huge control over what gets built and where.”

Mr Golden called for activity to be “ramped up”, warning otherwise Dundonians could face a more severe housing crisis than elsewhere in Scotland.

He added: “Dundee is one of the most densely populated parts of Scotland and, as a city, ought to have major ambitions for its people and businesses.

“But if more affordable housing cannot be supplied, progress on all fronts will stall.”

Asked about the latest figures, a council spokesman said: “The Strategic Housing Investment Plan sets challenging and ambitious targets for increasing the supply of social rented housing in the city.

“The construction sector, and the economy in general, continues to experience a variety of significant pressures and these pressures will inevitably have an impact on the city’s plans.

“The council will continue to work closely with our partner housing associations and Scottish Government to do all that we can collectively to mitigate the worsening economic conditions which are affecting all local authorities at this time.”