Scottish housebuilding plummets to record lows

The Scottish Conservatives claim the SNP’s housing strategy has failed, as new figures reveal a sharp decline in housebuilding.

Data released by the Scottish government show a 5% decrease in overall housebuilding starts and an 8% drop in completions between the year ending September 2024 and the year ending September 2025.

Despite the Scottish government’s pledge to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, including 70% for social rent, the figures reveal that only 31,064 affordable homes have been completed so far.

Housebuilding across Scotland is in freefall

According to Scottish government figures, 18,347 homes were completed and 14,846 new builds started. Of these, the private sector delivered 14,225 completions and 11,815 starts, while the social sector contributed 4,122 completions and 3,031 starts.

Private sector completions are at their lowest level since 2018, with starts at their lowest since 2013. In the social sector, completions have fallen to their lowest since 2017, and starts are at their lowest since records began in 1997.

Scottish Conservative shadow housing secretary, Meghan Gallacher MSP, told Property118 the figures show the SNP have failed to tackle the housing emergency and plans for rent controls will only make things worse.

She said: “These appalling figures are another damning indictment of the SNP’s ongoing failure to tackle Scotland’s housing emergency.

“Housebuilding across Scotland is in freefall on their watch, and Mairi McAllan as housing secretary has no credible plan to reverse this.

“The SNP’s only plan appears to be to double down on their reckless plans for permanent rent controls, which will only drive away investment and do nothing to help families onto the housing ladder.

“With homelessness soaring and a shameful number of families in temporary accommodation, Scotland desperately needs more homes, but under the SNP fewer are being built each year.

“Mairi McAllan needs to accept her current housing strategy has failed. She must urgently back Scottish Conservative plans to encourage investment into the sector, cut red tape and deliver the houses needed to help end this emergency once and for all.”

Affordable housing delivery across Scotland remains too slow

The figures also show that for affordable homes, the Scottish government has recorded 5,222 approvals, 5,494 starts, and 6,582 completions, but overall delivery has declined.

Shelter Scotland director, Alison Watson, says the Scottish government must do more to invest in social housing

She said: “Affordable housing delivery across Scotland remains too slow, too little and too late for the thousands of children spending Christmas without a home.

“In their last Programme for government, Scottish Ministers promised to deliver 8,000 affordable homes this financial year. The statistics show that at the halfway mark, they have achieved 2,528, 25% fewer than the same period in 2024.

“Against their long-term commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 – including 70% for social rent they have achieved 31,064, 78% of which were for social rent.

“If they are to achieve the remaining 79,000 on time they will need to move more quickly, invest more money and look at other ways of delivering the homes we need.”

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