An ongoing housing shortage in Scotland has prompted policymakers to relax planning laws in the country, it has been announced.
In an attempt to bolster economic growth, a taskforce is to be established which will focus on land supply and planning issues as a means of providing an increase in the number of homes.
In news likely to be welcomed by the housebuilding industry, ministers announced a review of current laws in a bid to increase economic competitiveness yesterday.
The taskforce is set to be headed up by communities minister Stewart Maxwell, the Scotsman reports.
He asserted that the plans for housing would "require a huge injection of funding from the public purse – an increase on current spending levels of £750 million over the next three years".
Last week Annie Johnstone, writing in the Herald, asserted that housing should be higher on the agenda in Scotland, while noting that the issue was mentioned 23rd – and last – on deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s list of jobs in the housing and wellbeing portfolio.