Glasgow City Council has approved a £674m investment to create 6,500 confirmed affordable homes, part of a wider programme that could deliver more than 12,000 homes across 59 city sites by 2032, as it tackles a housing emergency.
Glasgow has been in a "housing emergency" since 2023, with heavy pressure on homelessness services and the rising cost of the problem affecting the city's overall budget. The measures come via the Strategic Housing Investment Programme (SHIP), which will combine funding for the new homes with support for Registered Social Landlords to acquire another 430 homes for social rent.
The initiative identified 59 sites across Glasgow as potential locations for a maximum 12,173 new homes, to be built between 2027 and 2032. Of the confirmed 6,500 homes, 74% will be for social rent, 24% for mid-market rent and 2% for New Supply Shared Equity or private sector rent. They will be built on brownfield land, meaning previously developed land that is currently unused.
Disused shops could also be repurposed into housing, with the council wanting to increase the population of the city centre to about 40,000 people by 2035.
Councillor Ruairi Kelly, depute leader and convener for housing, development and land use, said the city had built more affordable homes than the likes of Manchester or Birmingham in recent years. He added: "Working in partnership with local housing associations, housebuilders and the wider housing sector we want to be clear to government that Glasgow gets things built: and if they are able to increase our housing budget, we can build and acquire even more. This is the sort of investment that will not only provide these much-needed homes during a housing emergency but also boost the city's economy through supporting construction jobs and the wider supply chain."
The announcement comes after record homelessness figures. Glasgow recorded its highest ever total of households in temporary homeless accommodation in March this year, with 4,890 households including a record 3,350 children. The new leader of Glasgow City Council, Ricky Bell, has previously spoken about the city "carrying the burden" of housing refugees for the "whole of Scotland", after figures showed almost half of 3,895 homelessness applications in the city between April and September 2025 came from people with refugee status or leave to remain.
The SHIP scheme aims to bring more affordable homes to Glasgow, reducing homelessness and cutting down the number of children in poverty in the process. It also intends to meet expected changes to the city's demographics: the number of older people living there is due to rise by an estimated 18% by 2036.
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Breakdown of the 6,500 confirmed homes by tenure, according to Glasgow City Council
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Based on plans for 6,500 homes. Source: BBC Scotland report of Glasgow City Council announcement
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Analysis
Why This Matters
Glasgow has been in a housing emergency since 2023 and this programme is the council's main response, arriving after record numbers of households in temporary accommodation.
The confirmed 6,500 homes could ease pressure on homelessness services and reduce child poverty, but the additional 5,000-plus homes depend on further government funding.
The plan also prepares for an ageing population, with the number of older residents in Glasgow projected to rise by 18% by 2036.
Background
Glasgow declared a housing emergency in 2023 amid heavy pressure on homelessness services and rising costs, a mechanism by which a council tells the government it is struggling and seeks intervention, often in the form of extra funding. Homelessness has since worsened, with March this year bringing the city's highest ever total of households in temporary accommodation: 4,890, including a record 3,350 children.
What to Watch
Whether the Scottish Government increases Glasgow's housing budget, which would allow the council to build beyond the confirmed 6,500 homes toward the 12,173 maximum identified across the 59 sites.
The start of construction on the identified sites between 2027 and 2032, including any repurposing of disused shops in the city centre.
The next homelessness figures, after March's record of 4,890 households in temporary accommodation.
10 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.
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Partly supportedThe council approved plans for up to 12,000 new homes.BBC Scotland: “Councillors have now passed plans to invest £674m into creating a confirmed 6,500 affordable houses, along with a pipeline for thousands more if further funding becomes available.”
SupportedThe £674m programme confirms 6,500 affordable homes, with more possible if funding increases.BBC Scotland: “Councillors have now passed plans to invest £674m into creating a confirmed 6,500 affordable houses, along with a pipeline for thousands more if further funding becomes available.”
SupportedThe wider programme identifies 59 sites with potential for more than 12,000 homes by 2032.BBC Scotland: “The initiative identified 59 sites across Glasgow as potential locations for a maximum 12,173 new homes, to be built between 2027 and 2032.”
SupportedThe SHIP measures will help RSLs acquire another 430 homes for social rent.BBC Scotland: “The measures come via the Strategic Housing Investment Programme (SHIP), which will combine funding for the new homes with measures to help Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) acquire another 430 homes for social rent.”
SupportedRuairi Kelly said Glasgow had built more affordable homes than Manchester or Birmingham in recent years.BBC Scotland: “Councillor Ruairi Kelly, the depute leader and convener for housing, development and land use at Glasgow City Council, said the city had built more affordable homes than the likes of Manchester or Birmingham in recent years.”
SupportedKelly said that if the government increased Glasgow’s housing budget, the city could build and acquire more homes.BBC Scotland: “Working in partnership with local housing associations, housebuilders and the wider housing sector we want to be clear to government that Glasgow gets things built: and if they are able to increase our housing budget, we can build and acquire even more.”
SupportedThe 6,500 homes are allocated 74% to social rent, 24% to mid-market rent and 2% to shared equity or private-sector rent.BBC Scotland: “Of the confirmed 6,500 homes, 74% will be for social rent, 24% for mid-market rent and 2% for New Supply Shared Equity or private sector rent.”
SupportedGlasgow recorded a record 4,890 households in temporary homeless accommodation in March, including a record 3,350 children.BBC Scotland: “Glasgow recorded its highest ever total of households in temporary homeless accommodation in March this year, and the figure of 4,890 included a record number of children - 3,350.”
SupportedAlmost half of 3,895 homelessness applications in Glasgow between April and September 2025 came from people with refugee status or leave to remain.BBC Scotland: “His comments were made after figures showed that almost half of 3,895 homelessness applications in Glasgow between April and September 2025 came from people with refugee status or leave to remain.”
SupportedThe number of older people in Glasgow is expected to rise by an estimated 18% by 2036.BBC Scotland: “It also intends to meet expected changes to the city's demographics - with the number of older people living there due to rise by an estimated 18% by 2036.”