A new report has claimed that the value of community-based projects being delivered through the Scotland-wide hub programme has increased by 58% during the first six months of the 2014/15 financial year.

The projects have also supported thousands of jobs by local SMEs, it added.

In the Scottish Futures Trust's (SFT) latest national 'hub dashboard', it revealed that £465m of community projects are either under construction, or are currently open, compared to £294m in March 2014.

The value of projects currently under construction is said to be £323m and is supporting more than 4,000 jobs in the construction industry.

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Some of the major hub projects currently under construction include:

• £35m Inverness Royal Academy – hub North Scotland Ltd

• Three NHS Lanarkshire Health Centres valued at £42m located in East Kilbride, Kilsyth and Wishaw – hub South West Scotland Ltd

• £30m Harris Academy in Dundee – hub East Central Scotland Ltd

• £15m Johnstone Town Hall – hub West Scotland Ltd

• £34m James Gillespie's High School – hub South East Scotland Ltd.

John Hope, national hub programme director at SFT, commented: "The hub programme is an innovative approach to deliver best-value community facilities which provides public bodies with a quick and efficient way of getting their projects into construction.

"With 84% of hub construction contracts being awarded to local SMEs, many thousands of local SME jobs are being protected. By the end of the financial year, the value of hub projects under construction or open will hit £1bn."

(JP/CD)