With housebuilding in Scotland at its lowest level in years and thousands of families on waiting lists, the party said urgent action is needed to boost supply and ensure more Scots can access secure, affordable housing.

The Conservatives’ commitment reflects independent research showing Scotland requires around 78,000 affordable homes over the course of the next Parliament – and is achievable by “cutting excessive red tape and accelerating development”.

Other key policies in the policy paper, entitled ‘Ending Scotland’s Housing Crisis’, include:

• Piloting street votes in Scotland, giving local communities a direct say in supporting new housing in their area, with a view to expanding the scheme nationwide if successful.
• Scrapping the national planning framework, allowing councils to set their own local planning strategies and targets to build the homes their communities need.
• Reinstating the local connection rule, ensuring homelessness services prioritise those with genuine ties to the area and easing unsustainable pressure on councils.
• Ending the use of migrant hotels and returning these buildings to their original purpose, reducing pressure on local housing and supporting tourism and local economies.
• Scrapping the ban on boilers in new-build homes, which would impose penalties of up to £15,000 on home or building owners who do not comply.

Scottish Conservative shadow housing secretary Meghan Gallacher said: “After 19 years of SNP failure, Scotland is in a housing emergency.

“Housebuilding has stalled due to their budget cuts, rent controls and open-door immigration policies. As a result, homelessness is rising and vulnerable families are being left in the lurch.

“Urgent action is needed to address this crisis – and that’s what our paper proposes.

“We are setting a clear and deliverable target of building 80,000 affordable homes by 2031, matching what the experts say Scotland needs.

“To make that happen, we will take a common-sense approach – scrapping red tape and the SNP’s failed planning framework, and empowering councils to build the homes their areas actually require.

“But we must also restore safeguards in the homelessness system by reversing the SNP’s reckless decision to scrap the local connection rule, which has made Glasgow a magnet for asylum seekers. We will end the use of migrant hotels, returning these buildings to their original purpose.

“The Scottish Conservatives will focus on practical solutions that put vulnerable Scots first, boost supply and fix the damage caused by SNP housing policies.”