Scottish Conservatives slam SNP after housebuilding falls to decade low

Scottish housebuilding is at its lowest level in a decade as political parties slam SNP over failures.

Figures released by the Scottish government show in total, 17,268 new homes were built (completed), and 14,955 homes were started in 2025-26 in Scotland. Completions were down 10% (-1,914) and starts down 4% (-693) from 2024-25.

The Scottish Conservatives have slammed the SNP’s housing record, pointing out major cities across Scotland have declared a housing emergency.

Lowest level since 2016-17

According to the data, excluding 2020-21 when Covid-19 severely disrupted housebuilding, all-sector completions were at their lowest level since 2016-17.

Starts fell to their lowest level since 2012-13 and were 23% below the number recorded during the Covid-19-affected 2020-21 financial year.

The figures also show the social housing sector completed 3,774 new homes and started 3,937 new builds in 2025-26, with completions down 16% compared with the previous year.

The private housebuilding sector also recorded double-digit declines in activity. It completed 13,494 new homes and started 11,018 new builds in 2025-26.

Compared with 2024-25, completions fell by 8% (1,217 homes), while starts dropped by 12% (1,483 homes).

Regulations make it harder to build and buy a home

Tim Eagle, Scottish Conservative housing spokesman, told Property118 the figures show the SNP has failed to tackle Scotland’s housing crisis.

He said: “On every measure, the SNP government is dismally failing to deal with a crisis created during their time in office. All our major cities have declared emergencies and the lack of new, affordable homes is devastating rural Scotland.

“Yet they cut the housing budget and imposed a raft of taxes and regulations that make it harder to build and buy a home. Their disastrous rent controls led to the highest rent rises in the UK and stalled new developments. These new figures show a shocking fall both in starts and completions.

“Thanks to the SNP abandoning the priority needs tests and local connection rules, more Scots are homeless and there are record numbers of children and vulnerable people in temporary accommodation.

“The SNP government’s record on housing is one of abject failure. The Scottish Conservatives would abolish LBTT, in line with Kemi Badenoch’s aim to scrap stamp duty, and reform planning to make it easier to buy a home.

“In sharp contrast, John Swinney’s government has failed to deliver the homes they promised, made it more expensive to build, buy or rent, and condemned thousands to precarious or unsuitable housing.”

The Scottish government, along with 14 local authorities in Scotland have declared housing emergencies.