With an estimated 465,000 new homes needed in Scotland by 2035 to cope with the expected demand, Homes For Scotland has said the rental sector has a "key role" to play in meeting the country's diverse housing needs and achieve a balanced tenure mix.

How to attract new sources of investment to help expand this growing sector is now the focus of major research currently being conducted by housing finance experts from the Cambridge Centre for Housing & Planning Research and LSE London.

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The team carrying out the project, led by industry body Homes for Scotland with the support of the Scottish Government and Construction Scotland, believes that the targeting of pension funds and other institutions could help deliver new, high quality, sustainable homes for rent at significant sale.

Homes for Scotland Chief Executive Philip Hogg explained: "Given continuing economic constraints, we need to look at ways we can attract additional finance to help increase housing investment.

"To do this effectively, we first need to fully understand the needs of investors and develop an approach that will attract them to the Scottish residential market. This is what the team from the Cambridge Centre for Housing & Planning Research and LSE London are assisting us with."

The research findings will be announced at a special conference in Edinburgh on Wednesday 20 November with Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as keynote speaker.

(JP/IT)