Affordable property ''an issue'' in Scotland

Scottish consumers are finding it increasingly difficult to secure an affordable property for themselves, according to the leader of the city council for Edinburgh.

The situation in the capital city is believed to be particularly stretched, with Ewan Aitken identifying how last week some 6,000 people bid for 60 affordable rented homes.

Reports suggest that demand for council homes in certain areas of Scotland is also strong, with a building in Stenhouse being bid for by 720 people last week.

According to council leaders, some £2 billion needs to be pumped into developing homes on plots of land in Edinburgh.

Ivan Turok, a professor of urban development at Glasgow University, also speculated that in order to meet the demand for new homes in Scotland, it needed to be considered whether green-belt land could be used.

He said that the lack of available plots could impact upon the Scottish economy as a result.

"If you look at Scotland as a microcosm of the UK, we have a similar problem on a smaller scale," he told the Scotsman.


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