Charity launches homes campaign

Campaigner Carrie Ann Davis with son Devrin at the protest

More than 30,000 postcards calling for new affordable homes have been handed in to the Scottish Parliament, according to housing charity Shelter.

The organisation claimed that the move was the biggest housing protest since the rent strikes of 1915.

The postcards, all signed by members of the public, call for 30,000 affordable homes over the next three years.

A Scottish Government spokesman said a spending review would "consider all options" for providing new homes.

Archie Stoddart, director of the housing and homelessness charity, said he wanted a commitment from the SNP administration that the new homes would be built.

He said: "The reason that it's important now is that we are on the verge of very, very important spending decisions as part of the comprehensive spending review and housing must be part of that.

We also have problems in rural areas where people simply cannot afford to stay in the area they grew up in Archie Stoddart, Shelter

"Certainly we are optimistic the issue is rising up the political agenda but that has to be backed by action."

Shelter claimed that the postcards were the largest show of public feeling on a housing issue since the rent strikes of 1915, when thousands of Glasgow tenants protested against profiteering landlords.

About 30 campaigners, including people who have been homeless themselves, took part in a symbolic "housing need queue" outside the Scottish Parliament as part of the protest.

Mr Stoddart said: "There are 200,000 people on waiting lists in Scotland, 8,000 people in temporary accommodation and there isn't a town in Scotland now that has an average house price of under £100,000.

"There are problems in Edinburgh, for example, we had the case of 700 people applying for a single council house.

Private sector

"But we also have problems in rural areas where people simply cannot afford to stay in the area they grew up in. The issues are across Scotland."

Campaigners were joined by Scottish Conservative communities spokesman Jamie McGrigor who said he supported Shelter's "passion" on the issue.

However, the Highlands and Islands MSP wants to see new houses built through "affordable homes trusts", with two-thirds of funding coming from the private sector.

He said: "There is no reason why you can't have just as many houses - it's just that they aren't owned by councils.

Shelter says the campaign has attracted huge interest

"The budget will not be available until October or November so we don't know what other uncosted promises the SNP have.

"All we know is we would like to see housing as an absolute priority and affordable housing as a priority on Scotland."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We are aware of the difficulty many people can face in accessing affordable housing and easing that burden is a top priority.

"We are currently assessing a broad range of housing issues across Scotland and our plans include a consultation this autumn that will outline plans to reform social housing in Scotland."