On Tuesday 5th December, SNP MSP for Cunninghame South, Ruth Maguire, used the opportunity of a Ministerial Statement on Planning and Inclusive Growth to ask the Scottish Government how the new Planning (Scotland) Bill will contribute to the delivery of much needed affordable homes and infrastructure in Ayrshire.
In his response, Minister for Local Government and Housing, Kevin Stewart made clear that the Bill will be crucial in allowing for the building of warm and affordable homes for people across Scotland.
Responding to Ms Maguire, the Minister said:
“It is absolutely essential that the bill moves us forward with our affordable housing delivery targets, whether in Ms Maguire’s patch in Ayrshire or other parts of the country.
Everywhere that I go, people say that they need more housing, so we need to get on with the job of providing warm, affordable homes for people around Scotland.
The bill will allow that to happen and there will be areas that can be zoned for housing with permission granted up front.”
Commenting, Ruth said:
“The provision of warm and affordable housing is an issue of huge importance to people in my Cunninghame South constituency – and it is a key priority of this Government.
The new legislation announced this week marks an important step forward in simplifying and improving the planning system – which will contribute towards our ambitious target to deliver 50,000 new affordable homes, of which 35,000 will be for social rent, over this parliamentary term.”
North Ayrshire SNP Spokesperson for Housing, Tony Gurney, added:
“The provision of warm, comfortable and affordable homes has always been at the centre of the SNP’s vision for Ayrshire.
North Ayrshire Council has consistently increased its social house building targets in order to ensure that as many of our residents as possible can access the kind of housing they so urgently require.
While the difficulties involved in replacing the high quality housing sold off by the Tories are substantial it is by embracing this type of forward thinking legislation that we will deliver on our promise to the people of North Ayrshire.”
Ruth Maguire MSP 