A total of £88m is to be spent over the next three years to build and improve the social housing across Falkirk.

The ambitious plans will see a significant investment made, and in 2014/15, the work will include:

• Re-roofing and roughcasting of properties (£6.7m)

• Electrical, kitchen and bathroom replacement work (£4.7m, including £1m for Carbon Monoxide detector installation)

• Energy efficiency improvement work (£4.9m)

• Completion of improvement works to the remainder of Falkirk's hi-rise blocks (£2.5m).

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Some 242 homes will be constructed – at a total cost of £13.7m over the three-year programme – in Falkirk, Maddiston, Grangemouth, Camelon, Stenhousemuir, Denny and Bo'ness as part of the local authority's ongoing house building programme, where 132 homes have already been completed.

There are also plans to provide £5m annually for the next three years to fund the 'buyback' of around 70 and 80 former Council houses per annum to help meet housing demand.

Councillor Gerry Goldie, Spokesperson for Housing said: "The investment and improvements we have planned will make a real difference to thousands of tenants across the area.

"It is bringing an improvement to neighbourhoods and to the quality of life right across the area.

"We are especially pleased to see we are on track to meet our national targets when it comes to the standards required and that we are providing nearly 250 new homes of different styles and sizes that will be available to rent."

(JP/IT)