Affordable Housing Supply statistics, published yesterday, show that 9,757 affordable homes were delivered in the 12 months to the end of March 2022, an increase of 51% (3,279 homes) on the 6,478 homes completed in the previous year, and the highest financial year figure recorded since the start of the series in 2000-01. The increase was boosted by the completion of 3,346 affordable homes in the latest quarter January to March 2022.

With completions reaching 20,056, the Scottish Government was able to achieve its 50,000 affordable homes target for this Parliament in March.

Homes for Scotland chief executive Jane Wood said: “Ensuring we have the homes that all those living in Scotland require to meet housing need and aspiration is essential to our country’s social wellbeing and economic success so the increase in completions across all tenures that has been announced today is clearly very welcome. However, there is still a very long way to go.

“Figures are still significantly down on activity levels pre-Covid and 20% below what we believe is required each year so there is no room for complacency – particularly given the very difficult circumstances currently facing home builders in terms of labour and material shortages and the significant cost pressures that result, affecting both public and private sectors.”

Ms Wood highlighted the 44% drop in housing association approvals, adding: “Unfortunately, this is consistent with member feedback and demonstrates the importance of having effective, timely data to support policy-making and the wider economy of Scotland. Urgent action must be taken to arrest this decline otherwise we will see ever decreasing numbers of affordable homes coming through the pipeline.”

Meanwhile, there were 3,232 affordable homes approved in the latest quarter January to March 2022, which brings the total number of affordable homes approved in the 12 months to the end of March 2022 to 7,821, a slight decrease of 1% (63 homes) on the 7,884 homes approved in the previous year. There were increases in the number of approvals for affordable rent (by 6% or 56 homes) and affordable home ownership (by 19% or 164 homes), whilst approvals for social rent fell by 5% or 283 homes.

There were 3,160 affordable homes started in the latest quarter January to March 2022, which brings the total number of affordable homes started in the 12 months to end March 2022 to 8,253, a decrease of 19% (1,897 homes) on the 10,150 homes approved in the previous year. There was a rise of 16% (144 homes) in the number starts for affordable home ownership, whilst starts for social rent fell by 17% or 1,342 homes, and starts for affordable rent decreased by 49% or 699 homes.

The latest quarterly figures show that the 50,000 affordable housing supply target was met during March 2022, with a total of 51,119 homes completed between April 2016 and the end of March 2022.

Of the 50,000 affordable homes completed between 1 April 2016 and 23 March 2022, 34,405 homes (69%) were for social rent, 6,245 (12%) were for affordable rent, and 9,350 (19%) were for affordable home ownership.

Now that the 50,000 affordable homes target has been met, Ms Robison said the longer term ambition is to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70% will be for social rent and 10% will be in remote, rural and island communities.

The latest statistics show that from 24 March 2022 up to 31 March 2022, a total of 1,119 affordable homes (1,057 homes for social rent, 16 for affordable rent, and 46 for affordable home ownership) have been completed against the new 110,000 target.

Housing secretary Shona Robison said: “The pandemic showed the value of a good quality home, but it also threw up significant challenges for all those involved in delivering affordable housing over the past two years. I am very pleased that despite that we have reached our 50,000 target and that since 2007 we have delivered 111,750 affordable homes, with over 78,000 of these for social rent.

“I would like to thank all our partners for helping us deliver so many affordable homes for the people of Scotland.

“We have now started progress towards our next target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which 70% will be for social rent and 10% in remote, rural and island communities, as part of our ambition to ensure everyone has a warm, safe, affordable place to call home.

“Scotland has led the way across the UK with the delivery of affordable homes, but this is just part of our mission to deliver a fairer housing sector. Our Housing to 2040 route map is key to this mission, with priorities including action to tackle high rents in the private sector, improve standards and make homes easier to heat.”

Figures in the Quarterly Housing Statistics for June 2022 also revealed that there were 20,056 all-sector new build homes completed in Scotland in the year to the end of September 2021, an increase of 26% (4,174 homes) on the 15,882 completions in the previous year, in which activity levels were impacted by lockdown measures.

Increases were seen across private-led completions (25% or 2,894 homes), local authority completions (77% or 865 homes), and housing association completions (13% or 415 homes).

The number of new build homes started across all sectors also increased in the year to the end of September 2021, with 21,666 starts, up 13% (2,476 homes) on the 19,190 starts in the previous year. Private-led starts rose by 37% (4,478 homes) and local authority starts increased by 31% (450 homes), whilst housing association approvals dropped by 44% (2,452 homes).

More up-to-date figures published as part of the UK House Price Index show a total of 11,663 private new build sales transactions in Scotland in the 12 months to the end of January 2022. This is an increase of 38% (3,202 transactions) on the 8,461 transactions recorded in the previous year to the end of January 2021.

Increases were seen across private-led completions (25% or 2,894 homes), local authority completions (77% or 865 homes), and housing association completions (13% or 415 homes).

The number of new build homes started across all sectors also increased in the year to end September 2021, with 21,666 starts, up 13% (2,476 homes) on the 19,190 starts in the previous year. Private-led starts rose by 37% (4,478 homes) and local authority starts increased by 31% (450 homes), whilst housing association approvals dropped by 44% (2,452 homes).

More up-to-date figures published as part of the UK House Price Index show a total of 11,663 private new build sales transactions in Scotland in the 12 months to end January 2022. This is an increase of 38% (3,202 transactions) on the 8,461 transactions recorded in the previous year to end January 2021.