Rural and islands housing action plan: business and regulatory impact assessment (BRIA)

D: Options

28. This BRIA focuses substantively on two options:

Option 1 - Do nothing

29. The Scottish Government could choose not to publish a Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan. However, the Scottish Government has committed to publishing the Action Plan. The Scottish Government’s ambition is to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 – 70% of which will be for social rent and 10% of which will be in our remote, rural and island communities. The publication of the Action Plan will help address barriers to delivery of affordable homes in remote, rural and island areas of Scotland. There are a number of strands in Housing to 2040 that need to be brought together through a rural lens. The Action Plan provides an opportunity to ensure that strategic housing links have been made with other key areas of Scottish Government policy including National Planning Framework 4, the National Islands Plan, and A Scotland for the Future: opportunities and challenges of Scotland’s changing population strategy. The Do Nothing option will not be a viable option.

Option 2 - Introduce a Rural and Island Housing Action Plan

30. As noted above, it is important that a Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan is published to help address barriers to delivery of the Scottish Government’s ambition to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 – 70% of which will be for social rent and 10% of which will be in our remote, rural and island communities. The Action Plan will be designed to provide effective and achievable actions to be undertaken by the Scottish Government and housing industry delivery partners.

31. The Action Plan is likely to not involve changes to legislation and therefore a whole new regulatory system is not likely to be required. The Action Plan is more likely to involve voluntary regulation subject to streamlined processes and updated guidance.

32. Guidance notes state: “Voluntary regulation is a mechanism that can be used within a regulatory framework as an alternative to statutory regulation, to achieve a particular outcome through a change in behaviour. It typically involves industry and/or professionals developing voluntary agreements or standards, pledges, codes of practice, certification and accreditation schemes, to regulate behaviour or standards to achieve a particular outcome. Government involvement may vary from no involvement to the measure being Government sponsored. Voluntary regulation provides an alternative to statutory regulation. It can be a more agile form of regulation in that it can be put in place faster, can be more flexible and adaptable to introduce and update, and requires a commitment from those involved.”