The Scottish Green Party has pledged to build 12,000 'affordable' homes each year in its 2016 election manifesto.

In addition to creating more jobs with house building, the party has pledged to replace older housing and improve the quality of new zero-carbon homes.

Other key proposals include:

• Enabling councils to buy land cheaply to encourage the construction of more and better homes.

• Ending tax reliefs which keep empty homes and vacant land out of use.

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• Ban fracking.

• Scrapping the 'unfair' council tax and phasing in a residential property tax under which most households would pay less.

Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie, economy and finance spokesperson for the party and MSP candidate for Glasgow, said: "The Scottish Greens have a track record of achievement. In the last session of parliament we pushed SNP ministers for bolder action on everything from land reform and rent controls to fracking and fan ownership of football clubs.

"With fellow candidates on the campaign trail in recent weeks I have seen how we are tapping into a public appetite for a Scottish Parliament that is bolder in its actions."

To view the party's manifesto, visit here.

(LM)