13 local authorities aim to build new social housing after policy change

A NEW generation of council houses is in the pipeline after more than a dozen local authorities said they wanted to build their own social housing.

Town hall administrations, including Angus, Orkney and Midlothian, are planning to take advantage of the SNP government's restriction of the so-called "right to buy".

Ministers hope the sign-up will lead to one of the most radical changes to housing tenure in 25 years.

The right to buy, a flagship policy of the Thatcher government, enabled council tenants to buy their local authority-owned homes at knock-down prices.

Around 40% of the council stock in Scotland has since been sold, prompting experts to link the policy to the current shortage in social rented accommodation. From 2003 to 2007, only six council houses were completed.

As a partial solution to the housing crisis, the Scottish government last year floated the idea of ending the right to buy for new council tenants.

Now figures compiled by the administration reveal that 13 local authorities are ready to take advantage of the planned restrictions on sales.

Councils in Angus, Stirling and East Lothian, according to the statistics, are planning new build, but have not agreed on how many homes they need.

West Lothian, which is a SNP/Independent coalition, is intending to buy four sites in order to provide around 240 new homes.

Neighbouring Midlothian, which is run as a minority Labour administration, 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.

Labour-run North Lanarkshire, according to government figures, has committee approval to investigate options for building 150 new council houses.

In addition, Orkney council is said to have "intentions" to build new social housing, while the local authority in the Shetland Islands is believed to want to fund 100 homes by 2015.

In the north-east, Aberdeen Council has indicated a wish to build up to 133 new council houses by 2015, while neighbouring Aberdeenshire is said to be planning 50 new units within the next year.

The Sunday Herald understands SNP ministers will endorse the right-to-buy restriction before the summer, while legislation could be introduced before the end of the year.

The policy is also believed to have the support of Scottish Labour, an outcome that would guarantee the legislation's passage at Holyrood.

A Scottish government source said: "After years of virtually no council house building in Scotland, there are encouraging signs from a range of local authorities that new build is beginning to happen again.

"The government's Firm Foundation proposals - including ending right to buy for new build - as well as the general local government budget provision, can help build a new generation of council housing in Scotland."

Archie Stoddart, the director of homelessness charity Shelter Scotland, said: "So, years after they stopped building houses, local authorities are starting to build again.

"It is a welcome move if it means councils can take people off waiting lists or house the thousands of people in temporary homes.

"But even the Scottish government's own estimates show that councils can only build around 500 to 600 council homes each year.

"Add in an average of housing association builds and this takes us to around 6000 affordable homes a year - way short of the 10,000 a year we and other housing groups think are needed."

A spokesman for Cosla said: "For those councils that it suits, we see this as a welcome development. There is a need for social housing and it's good to see councils planning programmes."