Building Our Rural Future: Manifesto for the 2021 Scottish Parliament Elections

In preparation for the 2021 Holyrood elections we have developed a manifesto highlighting the ten actions we believe are required to enable affordable rural housing and help our rural communities to thrive.  We urge all political parties to incorporate these actions into their own manifestos ahead of elections, and identify ways they can proactively support measures to allow rural communities to reach their full potential for local and national benefit.

Download the full manifesto – Building our Rural Future or you can download the manifesto summary.

We are calling for:

  1. A fair share of housing investment, equaling 9,010 affordable homes for rural Scotland;
  2. Extension and expansion of the Rural and Island Housing Funds;
  3. Grant support for first time self-builders via a First -Time Builders Fund.
  4. A national land-banking agency and Rural Infrastructure Fund;
  5. Limits on second ‘homes’ and short-term lets;
  6. Support for action on empty homes;
  7. Action on planning and sustainability for rural areas;
  8. Actions to mitigate climate change and fuel poverty;
  9. Good quality ‘instant housing’ solutions to provide accommodation for areas of housing need whilst permanent homes are being built;
  10. A rural housing policy to underpin strategies and measures to tackle the shortage of affordable rural housing.

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