Approval of Glasgow's Housing Strategy to allow 15,000 new homes to be built in city over next five years

15,000 new homes are to be built in Glasgow over the next five years as Glasgow City Council's Executive Committee today (19 January) approved the city's Housing Strategy between 2017 and 2022.  

Glasgow's Housing Strategy outlines the long-term vision for the city's housing and is founded on two main themes:

·         Increasing the supply and improving the quality of housing available to Glasgow's people

·         Improving access to appropriate housing for the city's people

The strategy includes targets for new build housing - 15,000 new homes are expected to be built by 2022 - the promotion of area regeneration and actions for maintaining and improving Glasgow's existing housing stock.  It will be used to inform future housing investment and related services in the city.

Within the two main themes of the strategy are six strategic priorities and 50 key actions to be achieved by 2022.

The strategic priorities of the strategy are as follows:

·         Promote area regeneration and enable investment in new build housing;

·         Manage, maintain and improve our existing housing stock;

·         Raise management standards in the private rented sector;

·         Tackle fuel poverty, energy inefficiency and climate change;

·         Improve access to housing across all tenures; and

·         Promote health and wellbeing.

Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "Our homes are undoubtedly one of the biggest contributors to our quality of life, and through this strategy, we aim to ensure that the people of Glasgow are able to find the best and most suitable housing they can.  Over the next five years, Glasgow's Housing Strategy will play its part in our efforts to create sustainable communities with affordable homes in the city, with 15,000 new homes being built."

The council consulted extensively with a range of organisations, with 16 consultation events held and five pieces of research commissioned, all of which helped to help shape the final strategy document.

This document can be found at: http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/councillorsandcommittees/submissiondocuments.asp?submissionid=82431

Local authorities in Scotland are required to produce a local housing strategy, supported by an assessment of housing needs and demands.  Glasgow's Housing Strategy will now be submitted to the Scottish Government.

Glasgow has a population (2015) of over 606,000 living in over 297,000 homes, 44% of which are owner-occupied, 36% are socially-rented and 20% privately-rented.