Scottish Housing Market Review: Q3 2022

9. Housing Starts & Completions

New build completions – all sectors

There were 20,767 new build completions across all sectors in Scotland in the year to end Q1 2022, an increase of 39.7% (5,900 homes) on the previous year, when activity levels were affected by Covid-19 related lockdown measures. This is outlined in Chart 9.1, which includes the breakdown of new build completions by sector. Meanwhile, there were 18,672 new build starts across all sectors in the year to end Q1 2022, up by an annual 5.1% (914 homes). However, activity remains below the pre-pandemic level of 22,124 completions and 25,491 starts in the year to end March 2020.

Source: Scottish Government

Chart 9.2 outlines the growth in new build completions and starts for all sectors by region over the one year period to Q1 2022, relative to the year prior. New build completions increased for all regions shown, with the largest increase seen in Aberdeen/shire and Moray (+72.5%) and the smallest increase found in Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Borders (+16.7%). With respect to all sector new build starts, the picture was more varied by region, with the largest increase found in Aberdeen/shire and Moray (+38.7%), whilst the largest decrease was found in the Ayrshires, Dumfries and Galloway (-40.5%).

Source: Scottish Government

Affordable Housing Supply Programme

Chart 9.3 shows that the supply of affordable housing has increased since the restrictions on non-essential construction activity were eased in Q3 2020. 9,334 affordable housing completions were recorded over the one year to Q2 2022, an increase of 17.1% compared to the year prior. However, over the same period approvals have fallen slightly by 2.5% to 7,775, whilst starts have decreased by 34.8% to 7,287. (Source: SG).

Source: Scottish Government