WELCOME FOR NEW
GENERATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING
Angus MP, Mike Weir, has welcomed figures compiled by the Scottish Government
which reveal that a significant number of local authorities are ready to take
advantage of changes to the "right-to-buy" legislation which will see a new
generation of council houses built across Scotland.
Commenting Mr Weir said:
"After years of virtually no council house building in Angus and the rest of
Scotland due to the problems of right to buy, there are encouraging signs from a
range of local authorities that new build is beginning to happen again.
"These figures contrast with the period 2003-07 when only six council houses
were completed under the Labour/Liberal Executive.
"These figures show that the SNP Government is going to far outstrip Labour's
failure to allow councils to build new social housing.
"My staff and I receive a significant number of constituent queries regarding
social housing in Angus. The simple fact is that Angus council has far too few
properties against a high waiting list due to the right to buy scheme which not
only vastly reduced the Council’s housing stock but also made it uneconomical
for new social housing as tenants were entitled to buy this new property at a
greatly reduced price.
However, with
the SNP Government's changes to the right to buy legislation in order to provide
more social housing and address the housing crisis, it would seem that more
local authorities are looking into building new social housing.
"What the
Labour party claim they want the SNP is actually delivering.”
ENDS
Notes:
* West Lothian is intending to buy four sites in order to provide around 240 new
homes.
* Midlothian plans to build more than 1000 units by 2010.
* The three Ayrshire Councils - East, South and North - have indicated they want
to explore the possibility of building new social houses.
* North Lanarkshire has committee approval to investigate options for building
150 new council houses.
* Aberdeen Council has indicated a wish to build up to 133 new council houses by
2015
* Aberdeenshire is said to be planning 50 new units within the next year.
* Councils in Angus, Stirling and East Lothian are also planning new build