Less Investment In New Affordable Homes

Decline in the housing investment grant

Fife Council's target to deliver 615 new affordable homes this year could be at risk due to lack of funding from the Scottish Government. 

Deputy First Minister John Swinney was unable to confirm if the council's housing investment grant would continue to decline. 

In the last 5 years the amount of money in the grant has dropped by between a third and a half. 

Only 235 new affordable homes were built last year as part of a five-year target of providing 2,700 homes by 2017. 

We asked Deputy First Minister John Swinney if the housing investment grant will be increased, he said 

"We've got to make sure we get maximum value for money in the building of new houses. We have managed to construct new houses and new properties by insuring that there is much greater value in the way we undertake that activity. So Government have to look at, in tough finical times, we have to look to maximize the value of public investment, we've seen that in the housing sector and will continue that with the commitment we've given to 50,000 affordable homes in the years to come "