A leading Scottish architect has moved to defend the Scottish Government’s new housing law proposals amid criticism from within the industry.
The architect behind an array of landmark buildings and homes projects across Scotland said he rejects a friend and professional peer’s criticism that the SNP rent cap policy is "disastrous".
Malcolm Fraser, of Fraser/Livingstone Architects, offered an opposing view after Paul Stallan, of Stallan-Brand described the rent control policy as "completely unforgivable".
Mr Fraser told The Herald: "Paul is a friend and I respect that but I think rent caps are a good thing.
"Basically, people are saying they [rent caps] are going to drive the rental market out.
"People are not just going to lock up flats and lock up houses and walk away from them. If they put them on the market then that brings new homes onto the market."
Mr Fraser also said: "I’m not against the rental market and if that is the way we can get new homes then that’s fine, but I think there is a balance between encouraging that market and ensuring that people pay fair rents and that their rents don’t rise unreasonably.
"I think rent caps have been proved in a European context to be useful things and it’s a shame if they mean some potential investment doesn’t happen, but it is also good if it means people have more money in their pockets and don’t get turfed out of their homes."
Both practices have a history of designing landmark public and residential buildings. Mr Fraser is behind a series of high-profile cultural buildings in Scotland, including the Scottish Poetry Library in Edinburgh, and Scottish Ballet's headquarters in Glasgow.
Stallan-Brand is also responsible for landmark projects such as the SWG3 venue and hotel and the Candleriggs regeneration in Glasgow, and Union Terrace Gardens buildings in Aberdeen.
Mr Stallan encouraged people to: "Take for example the Scottish Government’s disastrous rent cap housing policy that has redirected billions in build-to-rent development away from Scotland.
"It’s completely unforgivable. The fact that much of our rental sector is underpinned by pension money belonging to key workers like nurses seems not to be understood."
He also said: "Incentivising the major social landlords to increase their rate of affordable housing delivery or directing the house builders to tackle city centre sites or leveraging global finance into the sector appears to be beyond administrative thinking."
READ MORE:
Architect says SNP housing law is ‘completely unforgivable’
SNP housing law ‘killed off all interest’ in building homes
Housing emergency 'has never been more glaring and urgent'
The debate over the future of Scotland's housing comes as the country is deep in a housing emergency. The Herald earlier highlighted concerns over the Housing (Scotland) Bill proposals as well as benefits that rent controls could bring.
The Stallan-Brand studio’s Candleriggs project is part of a "complex mixed use urban and townscape development in Glasgow’s historic Merchant City area", the £300 million regeneration event that includes Scotland's largest hotel and build-to-rent homes.
Fraser/Livingstone is also behind a groundbreaking plan involving Moray Council, Altyre Estate, Grampian Housing Association and Glasgow School of Art at Dallas Dhu in Forres, which aims to be an exemplar.
The first phase proposals bring affordable homes in a range of house types, opportunities for custom self-build and co-housing through a plot passport strategy, and a new 40 bedspace development of homes for students to support the School of Innovation and Technology at Glasgow School of Art’s Highlands Campus on the nearby Altyre Estate.
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