New figures have revealed a 5% rise in the number of new build homes completed in 2017 compared with the previous year.

According to Government statistics, there were 17,601 new build homes delivered across all sectors over the year, 908 more than compared with 2016 (16,693).

In addition, there was a 9% rise in the number of new build homes started (19,440) compared with 17,904 homes in the previous year.

Nicola Barclay, Chief Executive of Homes for Scotland, said the figures are a "step in the right direction".

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"These latest year-on-year figures are encouraging for our sector given the increases noted in both starts and completions," she said.

"Having identified a need for 10% year-on-year growth in order to see a return to pre-recession build levels of at least 25,000 homes per year, today's statistics are certainly a welcome step in the right direction towards a sustainable recovery.

"The fact remains that Scotland's chronic undersupply of housing impacts the needs and aspirations of our growing population as well as wider investment and economic growth. It is therefore crucial that local authorities, developers and others involved in the process continue to work together to build on this momentum if we are to make up for the ground lost since the downturn."

(LM)