The Scottish Government has announced that up to £50 million is to be made available to councils and social landlords to build housing infrastructure which will help deliver new homes across the country.

Over the next five years grants from the Housing Infrastructure Fund will be used to build infrastructure to serve new housing developments and create new, stronger communities.

The first grant, worth nearly £5 million, has been awarded today to Fife Council to support delivery of 8,000 new homes across Dunfermline as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City region City Deal.

This will be the second round of the fund, which has awarded £48 million in loans and grants since 2016, helping deliver up to 12,000 new homes.

Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: "This funding allows local authorities and registered social landlords to build crucial infrastructure which will unlock new building development sites, helping speed up the delivery of housing.

"It is fitting that this fund is launching in Challenge Poverty Week, as housing can play a vital role in tackling poverty. We want everyone in Scotland to have a warm, safe, affordable home that meets their needs, and these grants will be crucial in helping us achieve our target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, building on our success in delivering more than 103,000 since 2007.

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"The first grant for housing infrastructure projects in Dunfermline shows our continued support for City Region Deals, helping boost economic growth and create new jobs. The Scottish Government is investing £300 million in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City region over 15 years, supporting housing, innovation, transport, skills and culture."

Cllr David Alexander, Fife Council Co-leader, said: "I would like to thank the Planning Services for the hard work it has put into progressing this proposal over the last two years.

"As a council we will deliver a major investment programme in strategic transportation infrastructure in Dunfermline to support the delivery of affordable homes and wider development. Such investment will accelerate inclusive growth, create new economic opportunities, and new jobs that will help to reduce inequalities in the Dunfermline area and beyond."

Cllr David Ross, Fife Council Co-Leader, said: "This is one of the key benefits we are getting from the City Region Deal and is crucial to Dunfermline’s development. The Dunfermline strategic development programme will not only assist Fife’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery, but will also unlock the delivery of up to 2,000 affordable houses.

"This infrastructure is essential to facilitating and delivering the council’s adopted Local Development Plan sites as part of the strategic growth of Dunfermline and to assist in achieving Plan4Fife, Fife’s Local Outcome Improvement Plan, outcomes. The Housing Infrastructure Fund will facilitate investment in essential new strategic transportation infrastructure in the Dunfermline area."