A key SNP target to build 110,000 affordable homes in Scotland by 2032 could be scuppered by a growing skills shortage across the housebuilding industry, John Swinney has been warned.
Labour said Nationalist ministers “seem to have no clue about the scale of the challenge” after the Scottish Government admitted it does not know the size of the construction workforce required to meet the target.
It comes as the construction industry in Scotland continues to face significant skills shortages across multiple disciplines.
Contract Scotland, a recruitment specialist in the construction and property industries, warned a “significant proportion of experienced construction professionals are approaching retirement” while “training and apprenticeship pipelines have struggled to keep pace with industry demand”.
The SNP is committed to delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 – of which at least 70 per cent will be available for social rent – in a bid to tackle the country’s ongoing housing emergency.
But the target has been met with scepticism from housing charities and the construction industry at a time when housebuilding competition rates have plummeted to historic lows.
Mark Griffin, Scottish Labour housing spokesman, asked the Scottish Government what modelling it has carried out of the size of the construction workforce required to meet its housing targets, and whether there was a predicted shortfall.
Shirley-Anne Somerville, who was last month handed Cabinet responsibility for Housing by the First Minister, admitted in a written response to the MSP “it is not however possible to produce a precise estimate of total workforce demand”.
Griffin said: “The SNP’s housing emergency is causing misery for families all over Scotland – from those struggling with unaffordable housing costs to the kids trapped in temporary accommodation.
“The industry have been warning for years that skills shortages could mean housebuilding targets are missed, but the SNP seem to have no clue about the scale of the challenge.
“The only way to tackle this crisis for good is by building homes, which is why Scottish Labour proposed working with sector to develop long-term skills forecasts and prioritising construction roles within newly created apprenticeships.
“The SNP must stop burying its head in the sand about the challenges it faces and set out a real plan to deliver on its promises and make sure our skills system is developing the workforce we need.”
Employers are already finding it increasingly difficult to recruit suitably skilled workers while large numbers of young people remain locked out of the workforce, according to new research.
The Open University said its study suggested there was now a “growing mismatch” between employer needs and available talent that was preventing organisations from addressing persistent skills shortages.
A survey of 1,500 UK employers and 1,000 young people aged 16-24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) found that more than half of employers are experiencing a skills shortage, up 3% from last year, and two in five expect the situation to worsen.
Shelter Scotland previously warned the number of affordable homes completed under the Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) dropped by 25 per cent last year.
As of March this year, only 32,479 of the Government’s intended 110,000 new homes have been built, with a further 36,000 more expected by 2030.
Shelter estimates a further 41,521 homes would need to be delivered between 2030 and 2032 to meet the target – making it “highly unlikely” the Government can deliver on its promise.
View 2 ImagesFirst Minister John Swinney and Social Justice and Housing Secretary Shirley Anne-Somerville visit Places for People’s development at Blindwells near Tranent(Image: Daily Record)
Richard Meade, CEO of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), said: “It is simply unacceptable in modern-day Scotland that over 10,000 children are growing up in temporary accommodation whilst we’re seeing record lows in affordable housing being built.”
Shirley-Anne Somerville, the Housing Secretary, said: “The Scottish Government is using every lever at its disposal to accelerate house building and deliver more homes to meet the needs of communities, despite Brexit having caused construction cost increases and challenges around staffing.
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“Since 2007, the Scottish Government has supported the delivery of 143,000 affordable homes in Scotland, with more than 102,000 for social rent – proportionately far more than other parts of the UK. We have helped thousands of families to have a warm, safe and affordable place to call home.
“Our record investment of up to £4.9 billion over the next four years will support the delivery of a further 36,000 affordable homes, estimated to provide homes for up to 24,000 children.
“The new national housing agency – More Homes Scotland – will be operational in one year and will bring greater expertise and increased efficiencies to unlock some of the barriers to housebuilding and deliver more homes, more quickly for all parts of Scotland.”