Chancellor urged to spend infrastructure funding on building new affordable homes in Scotland, writes Beverley Brown
RICS –The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors – is urging the Scottish Government to use the additional £800 million capital budget funding announced in chancellor Philip Hammond’s recent Autumn Statement on infrastructure projects that return the highest economic and social impact, whilst stimulating the Scottish construction industry.
Gail Hunter, director of RICS in Scotland, comments: "RICS market surveys have shown a consistent lack of housing supply across Scotland over the last two years, increasing property prices and rents within the sector. The Scottish Government should utilise this money to further increase its commitment to building 50,000 new, affordable homes – and in addition, to increase supply by investing in raising the standard of existing housing stock through a planned maintenance scheme for tenement properties."
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