Glasgow developers may be forced to construct affordable homes

Private house builders in Glasgow may have to start constructing affordable homes in new estates if a new council policy gets approved.

Councillors on the Planning Applications Committee will hear next week about the possibility of an affordable housing policy being introduced in the city.

Many councils around Scotland already have affordable housing policies to boost the supply of social homes for families who can’t pay market prices.

The rules require a percentage of homes in new developments to be social housing.

The current Glasgow city development plan doesn’t have an affordable housing policy – as in the past it was judged there would be a “greater provision of affordable housing than the anticipated demand.”

It comes after a planning meeting in November heard, despite objections over a lack of affordable housing, councillors could not make developers include any social homes in plans.

Council officer Andy Dale told the Planning Applications Committee: “The current city development plan does not afford any scope to support affordable housing.

“There is no scope for us to impose a burden upon developers to provide affordable housing.”

He was responding to questions from Independent Councillor Martin Bartos at the November 30 meeting about the consideration of affordable housing queries in applications.

A paper on the matter is due to go in front of the Planning Applications Committee on Tuesday.

The paper said: “During the meeting on 30th November 2021 it was confirmed that because the existing city development plan does not contain any reference to an affordable housing policy, it was not appropriate to seek to impose any burden upon applicants to provide or contribute towards affordable housing as part of their application.

“The only time the council could introduce an affordable housing policy would be when the city development plan is replaced with a new local development plan.”

Work is underway within the council to create a new city development plan with progress delayed due to Covid.

The Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm City Policy Committee will consider matters to be included in the city development plan, including affordable housing.