Capital housing waiting list 'would take 13 years to clear'

Published on Thursday 16 July 2009 09:54

EDINBURGH is so short of housing that it would take nearly 13 years to clear the current waiting list even if it was closed to new applicants from today.

Housing charity Shelter Scotland said the chasm between need and supply underlined the urgent need for a cash boost from the Scottish Government for affordable rented housing in the Capital.

According to Shelter, there are now fewer homes for rent from councils and housing associations across Scotland than at any time in the past 50 years, blaming much of the decline on Right to Buy and a lack of sustained investment by one government after another.

Figures drawn from the Scottish Government's own statistics show that in Edinburgh there were 25,739 households on the council waiting list in March last year, but only 2,014 new lets available in 2007/8.

Shelter Scotland director Graeme Brown said: "This is like saying that if every house coming up was allocated to people on waiting lists, it would take 12.8 years to house everyone. But in reality, with new people coming up the waiting list all the time and emergency cases to deal with, then it would take much longer."

In West Lothian, the fastest growing area in Scotland, the problem is even worse, with figures suggesting it would take 16 years to clear the current housing waiting list. The statistics showed 10,897 households on the waiting list in March 2008, with only 675 new lets available in 2007/8.

Mr Brown said the fundamental problem was supply: "It's a problem that has built up over many years and one that has been compounded by the Right to Buy policy. More and more people are waiting and yet there are fewer homes available."

He said extra funding already announced by the Scottish Government for new homes was welcome, but would not solve the problem.

"The government must provide more money through this year's Budget to help councils and housing associations build more homes in Edinburgh and West Lothian."

Edinburgh housing convener Paul Edie said: "Hats off to Alex Neil. He has really pulled out all the stops. He has been really good for us so far and I think there is more to come."

He added that the funding should have started earlier though: "The target is to abolish homelessness by 2012, but it's a race against time."

West Lothian's executive councillor for services for the community, Frank Anderson, said: "We would obviously welcome more funding for affordable housing for the people of West Lothian.

"There is a chronic shortage of affordable housing in Scotland. However, we also realise that the current economic climate is having a negative impact on public sector spending."