THE City of Edinburgh Council is asking residents to take part in a consultation on their Affordable Housing Policy (AHP).
The policy was first introduced in 2000 and means that developments comprising 12 or more homes must contain at least 35% affordable housing.
This is amid the ongoing Scottish housing crisis which was announced in Edinburgh in November 2023.
This also comes after councillors agreed to consider a ban on purpose-built student accommodation in the city, with concerns over the saturation of the market.
(C) Unsplash / Jure Tufekcic.
The council has stated that “the city faces growing housing pressures – higher than average rents and house prices, a low proportion of social housing, and over 5,000 households in temporary accommodation”.
Shelter Scotland recently pointed to Scottish Government statistics, showing that social house building has hit its lowest level in a decade – with Edinburgh in particular having a low proportion of social rented homes compared to the Scottish average.
An AHP guidance report was discussed by the council’s planning committee earlier this year, with members noting that Edinburgh has higher housing costs than the Scottish average across all tenure types.
According to ESPC, housing prices in the Scottish capital have been steadily increasing, having recently risen 4% in Q2 of this year.
The council has launched a public consultation on the AHP, and will consider local feedback when drafting the next version of the policy guidance.
Residents are asked for their opinions on the prioritisation of social rent tenures and what to do when the full requirement of affordable housing on a development cannot be met.
Housing, homelessness and fair work convener Lezley Marion Cameron said: “Too many people and families in Edinburgh are struggling to find a stable and affordable place to live, and too many are still in temporary accommodation.
“We are making progress, however, there is much more to do to meet the increasing demand for housing in Edinburgh.
“That is why I am encouraging people to participate in the consultation and share their views to influence how we shape our communities and deliver the much-needed affordable homes our city and citizens need.”
The consultation is open until 23 July 2025.
