What mechanisms are in place to ensure the release of land for new homes under the Homestake scheme.

A range of measures to help release land for affordable housing, including that for the Homestake scheme, is set out in the Executive’s housing policy statement Homes for Scotland’s People published in March this year. A copy is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 35778).
Scottish Planning Policy 3 (SPP 3) requires planning authorities to take a long-term view of where needs for housing can best be met and provide in full the housing land requirement for each housing market area. In addition, Planning Advice Note 74 on Affordable Housing established a benchmark figure of 25% of all new housing developments to be affordable homes where justified by a housing needs assessment.
Measures are also in place to release publicly owned land for affordable housing. Scottish Executive land that is deemed surplus to requirements is notified internally to Executive Departments. Communities Scotland is notified through this process, and given the opportunity to register an interest in the land on behalf of Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) who may wish to purchase the land for affordable housing. In addition, an agreement is in place with Forestry Commission Scotland who, in handling sales of surplus land, now provide a preferential opportunity for RSLs to acquire the land for affordable housing. We have also announced a willingness to release land for affordable housing from the Scottish ministers’ estate, almost all of which is crofting land.