Almost 900 'affordable' homes are to be built in Edinburgh under the National Housing Trust (NHT) initiative, Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil has announced.

Already, 400 homes have been delivered through the scheme.

The latest 234-home Waterfront development is being built by Hart Builders at the Western Harbour.

Overall, it will bring the total number of NHT homes approved across Scotland to over 2,000.

The project at the Western Harbour is being led by a partnership between the council, Scottish Futures Trust and the Forth Ports Group.

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Mr Neil said: "The contribution from innovative financing approaches, such as NHT, using government guarantees, loans, grant recycling and new sources of private funding is substantial and growing.

“Edinburgh has wholeheartedly embraced the NHT, the first guarantee-based model for housing in the UK, as one that can help ease the city’s housing pressures.

“People in the capital will have access to a quality home at an affordable rent, and the NHT model allows them to save for a mortgage whilst staying in the home that they may be able to buy."

Mr Neil added the Scottish Government had exceeded its target to deliver 30,000 'affordable' homes.

"Our new target to deliver 50,000 affordable homes over the next five years is bold, credible and affordable," he said.

(LM/MH)