November 1 2007

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced plans for a shake-up of housing in Scotland, including the scrapping of housing quango Communities Scotland.

The announcement comes as part of the government's plan to ease the housing shortage, which aims to help first time buyers and help meet the new SNP administration's goal of 35,000 new homes a year by the middle of the next decade. The right to buy newly-built council houses has also been scrapped, and the government is to press ahead with the single survey for house sales from late 2008.

In a written statement Ms Sturgeon said: "35,000 houses a year may seem an ambitious target but it is one I believe we must meet if we are to reverse declining affordability and I believe it is achievable."

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