Housing blow | Westway plan | Highlands freeport –
Housing starts are continuing to fall (pic: Terry Murden)
Housing specialists have expressed concern at the latest Scottish Government statistics showing a continuing fall in the number of homes started across all sectors.
New homes started across all sectors is down 2% from 2021-22 and 25% from pre-pandemic figures (2019-2020).
Jane Wood, chief executive of sector body Homes for Scotland (HFS), which represents members delivering the majority of the country’s new homes, said: “Whilst we are seeing a welcome increase in completions, with financial year figures for 2022-23 (23,512) showing an edging towards pre-financial crisis total completion levels, this is still down 9% on this figure (25,788).
“The appointments of the new Minister for Housing and Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning present the perfect opportunity to review regulatory policy and address those barriers to development in order to ensure our members are able to deliver more housing in Scotland which meets the needs and aspirations of everyone living here.”
Westway expansion approved
Canmoor has secured planning consent from Renfrewshire Council to develop 300,000 sq ft of brand new speculative space on a 13-acre site at Westway, next to Glasgow Airport.
The £25m development will consist of two high-quality industrial/warehouse units of 86,630 sq ft and 202,230 sq ft, to be known as “Westway 90” and “Westway 200” respectively. The larger unit will be capable of being split into two units of 91,110 sq ft and 118,140 sq ft.
Highlands Freeport welcomes Haventus
Haventus, the owner of Ardersier Port, has joined the Green Freeport consortium members that includes the Port of Cromarty Firth, Port of Inverness, Global Energy Group, The Highland Council, the University of the Highlands and Islands, Highlands and Islands Airports and Inverness Chamber of Commerce.
Haventus has begun the redevelopment of the 450-acre Ardersier Port site, transforming the former McDermott Yard into an energy transition facility and unlocking the site’s potential to enable the deployment of major offshore wind projects and the wider energy transition opportunity.