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Saturday, October 18, 2025

Thousands of Empty Homes Could Help Ease Scotland’s Housing Crisis, Says Highlands MSP

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Ariane Burgess MSP has warned that Scotland’s housing emergency will continue to worsen unless urgent action is taken to bring thousands of empty homes back into use.

New figures from the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership show more than 43,000 homes are currently lying empty across the country.

Over 31,000 of them have been vacant for more than six months.

At the same time, families are stuck on long waiting lists, rents are soaring, and town centres are being hollowed out.

“This is a crisis of wasted potential,” said Ariane Burgess, Scottish Green MSP for the Highlands and Islands.

“We have homes sitting empty while people sleep on sofas, in temporary accommodation, or face impossible rents.

“It’s indefensible and it’s fixable.”

Burgess is calling for a national drive to retrofit empty homes, arguing that for every new home built, three existing homes could be brought back into use.

She said retrofitting is not only quicker and cheaper, but also greener than building new homes from scratch.

“It’s how we tackle the housing emergency, cut emissions, and bring life back to our town centres,” she said.

The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership’s latest report highlights several successes:

A record 2,066 homes were brought back into use last year.

Many had been lying empty for years.

Councils with dedicated Empty Homes Officers and clear strategies have led the way.

Community-led projects and local authority buyback schemes are helping deliver affordable homes in the areas that need them most.

Burgess is calling on the Scottish Government to scale up funding for retrofitting and buyback programmes.

She also wants to see council tax rules reformed to penalise long-term vacancy, and stronger support for community-led housing, particularly in rural and island areas.

“We need to stop treating empty homes as someone else’s problem,” she said.

“They are part of the solution and we need action now.”

Burgess said she will continue working with councils, communities, and the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership to make sure empty homes are placed at the heart of the country’s housing strategy.

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Ronnie MacDonald
Ronnie MacDonaldhttps://thehighlandtimes.com/
Ronnie MacDonald is a contributor to The Highland Times, writing on culture, sport, and community issues. With a focus on voices from across the Highlands and Islands, his work highlights the people and places that shape the region today.
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