Question reference: S6W-20672
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 18 August 2023
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Current status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 6 September 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reportedly growing and significant demand that exists in Edinburgh for more social housing and more housing generally as a result of population growth, how it is working with the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver its current Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) in Edinburgh, as part of the affordable housing supply programme, and whether there are discussions taking place or plans to seek to build more social housing than set out in the current SHIP and/or to do so faster than set out in the current SHIP.
Answer
The announcement of five year resource planning assumptions for all local authorities for this parliament provides a clear demonstration of this Government’s commitment to support the delivery of affordable housing.
Affordable Housing Supply Programme investment in the City of Edinburgh will be at a record level of £234m over the parliamentary period and an additional £10m of funding has already been made available in the first two financial years of this parliament to deliver more social and affordable homes in the city.
Scottish Government has also approved a grant of £1.72m through the Ukraine Longer Term Resettlement Fund to support City of Edinburgh Council to bring 100 void homes back into use. These will be used to house Ukrainian Displaced Persons for up to 3 years, after which they will revert back into the wider social housing supply in Edinburgh. My officials continue to work closely with the City of Edinburgh Council on a number of other opportunities to further boost the supply of social rented homes for those fleeing the invasion of Ukraine. I would continue to encourage the Council to speak to my officials about any projects they can identify that meet the criteria for the Fund.
I have met with the City of Edinburgh Council Housing Convener to discuss housing issues in the city, and my officials regularly meet with colleagues from the Council to discuss progress with the delivery of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme. These discussions focus on maximising the delivery of as many social and affordable homes as possible.