Cash boost 'to deliver 1,000 homes'

Mar 5 2013

Up to 1,000 new homes are to be delivered through a multi-million-pound funding package announced by the Deputy First Minister.

Nicola Sturgeon said councils across Scotland will receive a share of the pot, which is being pledged to help families into social housing.

The money will also support as many as 700 jobs, mainly in the construction sector, over the next two years, Ms Sturgeon said.

"This funding will deliver up to 1,000 affordable homes that meet people's needs, a central focus of our housing polices and a principle that underpins everything we do," she said.

"It will help realise our ambition of 5,000 council homes as part of wider plans to deliver more than 30,000 affordable homes during this parliamentary term.

"Quite simply, investing in new homes helps people into work by creating a jobs spin-off with the employment and training that takes place during construction.

"This funding illustrates that despite the 26% cut to our capital budget by Westminster, the Scottish Government is determined to continue investing in new social housing.

"If we want a strong economy, we must have access to all of Scotland's resources, not just the portion of Scotland's resources that the UK Government chooses to give us."

Ms Sturgeon announced that local authorities will share £40 million, intended to meet the housing needs in their areas.