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Homes for Scotland boss joins government delivery board
The chief executive of Homes for Scotland has joined a Scottish government delivery board.
Jane Wood has been appointed to the delivery board for the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.
The delivery board has run since 2022 and brings together leaders in business, academia, charities and trade unions to focus on economic growth.
It is co-chaired by Scotland’s deputy first minister Kate Forbes and Barry White, a former chief executive of the Scottish Futures Trust.
Ms Wood wrote on LinkedIn that she would act as the board’s housing champion.
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She said: “This is a welcome display of leadership from the Scottish government, which looks to move beyond the evidenced breakdown of our housing ecosystem and is major recognition of the homebuilding sector’s vital contribution to the economy.”
She added she would “increase awareness of the blockers” that are hampering Homes for Scotland members’ ability to build homes.
In particular, Ms Wood said there is a “need to avoid being distracted by government initiatives” such as the Planning Hub, launched in September, which “simply will not deliver change fast enough”.
“I will also emphasise the cumulative impact of new regulation which has been estimated to add +£30k to the cost of building a new home,” she continued.
To improve Scotland’s position as an attractive place to invest, Ms Wood said “clarity must be provided” around proposed amendments the Scottish government will be bringing forward for the Housing Bill.
She referenced the Welsh government’s white paper on housing, published last week, which referred to “emerging evidence from Scotland… which indicates there is not a sufficient evidence base to take forward rent control measures”.
Ms Wood said: “The housing emergency demands emergency action.
“While there is now some evidence of movement, we need more and we need it faster… We must find urgent solutions for those excluded from the property market, communities suffering from underinvestment and stunted economic growth.”
Jennifer Kennedy, director of public affairs at Homes for Scotland, said Ms Wood’s appointment is “an important recognition of the vital role that homebuilding and housing has to play in our economy”.
She added: “Along with the wide-ranging social and environmental benefits, delivering more homes of all tenures to meet need, aspiration and affordability is a no brainer whichever way you measure it.”
