Scotland must move away from thinking of housing in terms of election cycles and narrowly focusing on 'affordable' housing, according to Homes for Scotland (HfS) Chief Executive Nicola Barclay.

UK Government Communities and Local Government Secretary, Sajid Javid, announced plans to tackle England's housing crisis earlier this week.

Speaking in Parliament, Mr Javid said the root cause of the crisis is the simple fact that not enough homes are being built.

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With the total number of new Scottish homes still 40% down on pre-recession levels, and the country's population level at its highest ever level, Ms Barclay said Mr Javid's point "applies equally in Scotland".

"We need to move away from thinking of housing policy in terms of election cycles and narrowly focusing on ‘affordable housing’ and instead look at the requirements for all tenures over the next 15-20 years," she said.

"We also need to be brave about the issues that are holding housing back, like the availability of land and the provision of infrastructure, or we will never have enough homes to meet the diverse needs and aspirations of those living in Scotland."

(LM)