Beyond the Statistics: The Human Face of Scotland's Housing Emergency
Last week, East Renfrewshire Council declared a housing emergency, joining 11 other Scottish Councils in the last two years. The housing emergency across Scotland is a direct consequence of an undersupply of homes.
We are encouraged by East Renfrewshire Council’s decision to exceed the Minimum All Tenure Housing Land Requirement by 11% (MATHLR*). We would like to work in partnership with the Council to deliver our shared ambitions to address the growing housing emergency in the area.
We have a long successful history of working with East Renfrewshire Council having helped deliver new educational facilities including St Clare’s Primary, Calderwood Lodge and Williamwood High School. We also recognise the need for community facilities having built sports pitches and a Scout Hall as part of previous housing developments. We continue to support Busby Football Club and Clarkston After School Club.
A key policy objective is to create 20-minute neighbourhoods designed in such a way that people can meet the majority of their daily needs within a reasonable distance of their home, preferably by sustainable and active travel methods. This is one of our key strengths and we have successfully delivered local convenience facilities including Tesco, Co-op and Sainsbury's outlets, alongside dentists and pharmacies.
What the people of East Renfrewshire told us about housing
In May, we released the findings of an opinion research project commissioned to understand East Renfrewshire residents' attitudes towards housing. Conducted by Shared Voice, the study explored local housing challenges and aspirations. Our research revealed a strong desire for more housing development, with 70% of respondents supporting Green Belt development as a potential solution to the housing emergency.
In our report, we proposed three recommendations to East Renfrewshire Council:
- East Renfrewshire Council should establish a credible and robust Housing Land Requirement that exceeds the MATHLR* and addresses the stark findings of local housing need contained within this report.
- East Renfrewshire Council should hold consultation workshops with young people and renters – the groups that face the highest levels of housing need but who are universally unheard in Local Plan and formal planning consultations.
- The East Renfrewshire Local Plan should incorporate a powerful strategy to support and deliver all types of housing tenures– to help residents find quality housing that meets their needs.
We are republishing our report again in full today in the hope that it may inform East Renfrewshire Council’s Local Housing Strategy 2024-2029 which will be presented to the Cabinet in October as well as the ongoing preparation of its new Local Development Plan that will set the direction of travel for the next decade.
Community benefits beyond bricks and mortar
In addition to addressing the housing shortage, new development is not merely about homes, it can also bring significant community benefits and investment into an area. These benefits can include public access to nature in the form of parks and green open space, new community recreational facilities, new educational facilities and retail outlets creating employment opportunities while supporting local economies.
Andrew Mickel, Director and Head of Strategic Land at Mac Mic Group commented:
“Mac Mic Group has a proven track record of masterplanning and development creating thriving communities in East Renfrewshire. We are committed to supporting both residents and the Council in addressing the housing emergency. We look forward to working with the Council as it prepares its new LDP to deliver much-needed new homes of all tenures for the people of East Renfrewshire, alongside supporting community facilities to deliver 20-minute neighbourhoods, a key policy objective for Scotland.”
*Minimum All Tenure Housing Land Requirement (MATHLR)
