Housing Supply Task Force - Initial submission: August 2007

• The Task Force is welcome, but as complementary to, not a replacement for, increased levels of public spending on housing in the 2007 Spending Review.

• The land-use planning system can be used more effectively to increase housing supply generally and the number of affordable homes in particular. There needs to be a broader based approach to designating green-field and brown-field sites.

• Land held by a range of public bodies can be better used to support housing supply, while private land-banks would benefit from greater competition.

• There needs to be better matching between housing and land-use plans and the investment plans of Scottish Water.

• As part of delivering 30,000 social rented homes over the next three years it is legitimate to look at the most cost-effective means of doing so, but not at the cost of individual housing standards.

• At the same time as investing in new affordable homes, reforms are needed to retain affordable housing within reach of people on modest incomes.

• There needs to be careful consideration of the housing market implications of abolishing council tax.