Who will win Scotland’s housing vote?

As Scotland heads to the ballot box on 7 May 2026 for the Scottish Parliament elections, a recent YouGov poll shows that one in five Scots (20%) says housing is among the top issues facing the country.

So, what are the main parties’ key housing and planning promises in their manifestos?

Continuation of target to build 110,000 affordable homes by 2032
Establish More Homes Scotland agency
Establish “First Homes Fund” with joint equity contribution of up to £10,000 for new homes owners buying homes up to value of £300,000
Tenant’s right to first refusal to purchase the property they rent at a fair market price if the owners puts it up for sale
Update the “housing for Varying Needs” guidance
Package of measures to help young people build a home, including £10,000 towards construction and removal of land transfer fees for people under the age of 30 for purposes of building a single dwelling
Further simplification of planning system and measures to increase public sector planners

Deliver 125,000 all tenure new homes by end of Parliament in 2031
Build 50,000 new affordable homes
Establish housebuilding targets so local plans meet local housing needs
Create a dedicated Housing Bank to direct investment into housebuilding
Set aside more than 5000 new mid-market rent homes for working people who want to save for their own home
Increase LBTT threshold to £200,000 for first time home buyers
Establish a £1 home scheme to bring derelict homes back into use by selling them to homeowners committed to turning them back into homes
Overhaul the planning system to unlock land and reintroduce the presumption in favour of sustainable development

Abolish LBTT on primary residences
Half Additional Dwelling Supplement to 4%
Abolish existing and planned regulations which increase costs of housebuilding and commitment not to impose any new costly housebuilding regulations in the next parliamentary session
Oppose the introduction of the Building Safety Levy
Limit national housing guidance to ensuring developments have enough amenities for local communities to thrive with Councils setting their own planning strategies so they can build the homes they need
Introduction of “Street Votes Scotland” policy allowing people to agree what building works they want on their street
Establish a Brownfield Development Fund to target brownfield and vacant land to make them suitable for building homes
Redirect money spent on meeting net zero targets towards building homes and infrastructure
Scrap rent controls

Build 15,000 new affordable homes every year for next five years
Prioritise local connection for applying for affordable housing
Affordable housing to be built on town centre brownfield sites to local working families
Develop an innovative long term funding model with UK pension funds to build a sustained supply of social housing owned by local authorities
Review current planning laws and build on Local Place Plans, including down to street level
Introduce a small site policy in local development plans to encourage local SME builders
Prevent local planners getting in the way of sensible local development
Introduce a progressive Rent-to Buy model targeted at young people, first time buyers and working families
Phase out LBTT and business rates over 10 years and replace with an Annual Property Tax which will be given to local authorities
Cease any new building regulations
Repeal current regulations for all new tenancies while keeping existing tenancies unchanged

Target to build an average of 25,000 homes each year
Modernise the planning system, including reforming NPF4 to ensure sufficient land is available for developers
Re-establish social renting as a long-term option, providing grant rate certainty over multi-year periods
Explore the potential of innovative financing models for mid-market rent and a new Help to Build model that utilises pension funds
Develop a programme for a new generation of net zero new towns
Develop a new programme for key worker housing, at mid-market rents
Use the proceeds of Scottish renewable energy investment to fund local housing
Publish new guidance to rollout a recognised model of co-housing
Assess publicly owned brownfield land and consult on a mechanism for selling such land on a plot-by-plot basis direct to communities for self-building.
Develop standardised models of homes that have the support of planners across the country in order to speed up the planning approval
Bring empty homes back into use, including a new Help to Renovate loan scheme and acquiring more homes to house people on lower incomes
Consult on how to introduce exemptions for LBTT for difficult to build on brownfield sites and for older people downsizing

Build at least 15,700 more social homes each year between now and 2031
Provide multi-year funding for affordable housing
Give local Registered Social Landlords, including local councils, first right of refusal on purchase of properties sold under the right-to-buy policy, when they come on to the market
Introduce compulsory sale powers for derelict land and property to then sell or rent it for housing
Support the development of alternative housing models, such as self-build, co-housing and housing co-operatives.
Make it easier for local councils to block the use of land for purpose-built student accommodation that could be better used to provide long-term homes
Strengthen Building Standards powers and empower local councils to refuse planning permission for developers with a track record of building sub-standard homes
Introduce a new universal Scottish Accessible Home standard
Strengthen rent controls and reform affordable renting options such as Mid-Market Rent
Scrap the forthcoming exemption of Mid-Market and Build-to-Rent properties from rent controls
Give increased weight to Local Place
Deliver the new commitments in the National Planning Framework to create a nature positive planning system that enhances biodiversity, supports climate adaptation and serves community wellbeing
Introduce a community right of appeal in planning where decisions depart from agreed plans or officer recommendations.

How will you cast your two votes?