Tuesday May 5th 2026
Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
The Scottish Greens have announced that they aim to deliver a ‘rural housing revolution’ and introduce rent controls across Scotland within 12 months.
Announcing these pledges ahead of Thursday’s Scottish election, the party is aiming to improve housing across the country, both rurally and in cities.
Announcing the ‘rural housing revolution’, the Greens pledge aims to ‘ensure people across rural and island communities can stay, work and build their lives in the communities they call home’. This pledge consists of the commitment to build 2,700 new social homes, tackles long-term empty properties and prioritise local house needs over second homes and holiday lets.
The party’s co-leader Gillian Mackay said that ‘rural and island communities need policies shaped around their distinct needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach that ignores the realities of fragile housing markets, depopulation, stretched local services and higher construction costs’.
This ‘revolution’ pledge will also support community-led housing, local housing needs assessments, flexible building standards, and funding models that ‘reflect the higher costs, smaller-scale developments and supply chain challenges’ that are faced by rural and island communities.
Explaining the rural housing pledge, Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay added:
“Rural and island communities are at the heart of Scotland’s identity and our future, but for too long they have been treated as an afterthought by decision-makers that do not really understand the realities they face.
“Housing is one of the biggest issues facing rural Scotland. It shapes whether young people can stay in the places they grew up, whether families can put down roots, whether key workers can live near the services they provide, and whether local schools, shops, health centres and community spaces can survive and thrive.
“Housing policy must reflect the higher costs, longer supply chains and practical challenges of building homes in rural Scotland. But this is not just about bricks and mortar, it is about the future of communities that have too often been priced out, hollowed out or left behind.
“The Scottish Greens will deliver a rural housing revolution, with 2,700 new social homes in rural and island communities focused on the places facing the worst shortages and the highest costs. We will also support community-led housing, ensuring that community housing trusts are properly funded.
“It is also crucial that we end the scandal of long-term empty homes, second homes and holiday lets sitting unused while local people are priced out.
“Fundamentally, we believe homes should be for living in, not something to exploit for profit while people are being forced away from the places they were born in.”
Alongside this pledge, the party also announced that they plan to work alongside councils to ensure that rent controls are enforced across the country within 12 months.
Scottish Green MSPs delivered rent control powers for councils as part of the Housing Bill that was originally introduced by former Green Minister Patrick Harvie.
Announcing that ‘homes are for living in, not profiteering’, the powers mean that if a council designates part of its area as a rent control zone then private rents cannot increase beyond 1% above inflation or a maximum of 6%.
The Greens have announced that they plan to ‘immediately fund every council to do the required assessments and work with them to implement the findings as soon as possible’.
Gillian Mackay added:
“All over Scotland rents are shooting up at inflation-busting rates, stretching households and families to their limits.
“When our parliament supported rent controls it was an important step in tackling the housing emergency, but those rent controls are only going to help people if councils are implementing them in the first place.
“That’s why we will work with every council to ensure that they get the guidance and funding that they need to use their powers as soon as possible.
“We will put a halt to the eye-watering rent hikes we’re seeing and stop rouge landlords from cashing in on a broken market.
“Homes are for living in and not for profiteering. We will work with councils to drive down the cost of living and end the exploitation of renters.”
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