Plans have been revealed to build 16,000 new affordable homes over the next 10 years in Edinburgh.

In its City Housing Strategy Update report, the council has highlighted significant progress made on the initiative so far and confirmed a nine-point plan to be delivered for the next decade.

Work is already underway on a number of schemes, including the Shrubhill affordable housing development where more than 370 new homes will be built. The project is the latest of seven major sites delivering almost 900 affordable homes unlocked for development through National Housing Trust.

In addition, a discount scheme has been launched to reduce the cost of living for tenants. The initiative allows residents to use their rent payment cards to access discounts on a range of products in seven different locations across Edinburgh.

The nine-point action plan, which has been approved for further consultation, includes:

• Build at least 16,000 more affordable and low cost homes by investing nearly £2 billion in their delivery

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• Accelerate housing development on public sector sites and investment in other public service priorities in the city and region. 

• Use the Council's compulsory intervention powers where sites are not being developed quickly enough

• Set out a clear plan for investing up to £300 million in new services to support integrated health and social care services for people with complex and deteriorating health needs

• Ensure investment in new homes and modernise existing homes to reduce the cost of living for people on low to moderate incomes who live in them

• Develop ways in which housing and other related services can have a visible local presence on the ground in the communities in which their customers live

• Ensure that planning, investment and economic strategies set at regional and national level support the delivery of an improved housing system for the city

• Improve placemaking by ensuring that housing led investment is integrated more effectively with other investment and service development to improve surrounding neighbourhoods and communities

• Secure better education, training and job opportunities for tenants by making better use of the significant investment planned over the next 10 years.

Councillor Cammy Day said: "Approving this vision for further consultation is great news not just for our tenants and future tenants but for the city as a whole. Inequality, high housing costs, and high levels of need and demand are ongoing challenges that the Council has to tackle.

"The extent of investment in new affordable and low cost homes, coupled with the strategy to reduce the cost of living for tenants, provides an excellent opportunity for the city to achieve better community benefits and more employment and training opportunities for communities and tenants."

(LM/JP)