Kate Forbes has pledged to create a national housebuilding body if elected as first minister.
The SNP leadership candidate, who said housebuilding was under “immense pressure” in Scotland, pledged that the organisation would seek to build “thousands” of homes per year – although she did not set a firm target.
The Finance Secretary – currently running to replace Nicola Sturgeon alongside Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and former community safety minister Ash Regan – also announced she would give councils the powers to increase council tax on empty second homes.
She said: “I would like to see a new body for housebuilding in Scotland, tasked with further developing housebuilding capacity and acting as an agent for change.
“It could build houses for both rent and sale. It could act as an agent for expanding construction skills apprenticeships to tackle skills shortages.
“In other words it could be a central feature of supply chains in Scotland able to respond to changing needs.
“Our task is to build more high quality homes for the people of Scotland and I think we need this type of new thinking to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
As first minister I would focus on identifying more land in key areas that can be built on— Kate Forbes
Speaking about her second homes plan, Ms Forbes added: “Affordable housing is under immense pressure in Scotland.
“Despite the SNP’s track record of building thousands of homes since 2007, many young families can’t afford a warm, safe home.
“This is particularly acute in rural and remote parts of Scotland where there is a high density of holiday homes.
“As first minister I would focus on identifying more land in key areas that can be built on, offering councils the option of implementing a council tax surcharge on empty second homes and targeting further investment specifically for rural and remote areas.”
