The National Housing Trust (NHT) has announced that ten councils have confirmed an interest in joining forces with developers to build and let at least 1000 affordable houses in areas of Scotland where many people are unable to buy or rent at market prices.

The project is expected to lever in about £130m of extra housing investment and the Scottish government will underwrite loans. The properties will be ‘let’ to tenants for between five and ten years - the fact that the rent is short-term differentiates the scheme from most forms of social housing.

Alex Neil Housing Minister said: "Traditional methods of supplying housing need to change because of the scale of the new economic and financial challenges we all face. Scotland is spearheading the drive in the UK for alternative sources of funding and innovative housing delivery models. The NHT breaks new ground and has potential to significantly increase the supply of affordable homes in many parts of the country."

The following local authorities have confirmed interest in the scheme: Aberdeen; Aberdeenshire; Edinburgh; Dundee; Glasgow, Stirling, East Dunbartonshire; East Lothian; East Renfrewshire; and West Lothian.

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