The green light has been given to build up to 250 new council houses in West Lothian, the first in 25 years.

West Lothian Council are funding the £27.674m project and work will begin in June with final completion estimated to be within two years.

The building of around 250 homes is the first phase of a larger project to build 700 council homes over the next four years.

Although the plans have yet to be finalised, it is estimated that 70 homes will be built in Boghall, 51 in Dixon Terrace, Whitburn, 46 in Ladywell, Livingston and 81 in Wester Inch. Work is already underway to identify sites for the remaining 450 houses.

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The new homes will be made up of one and two bedroom flats, semi detached houses and bungalows suitable for disabled tenants.

Council Leader, Peter Johnston, said: "West Lothian Council are committed to providing quality, affordable housing for the people of West Lothian. I welcome the Scottish Government plans to remove the Right To Buy for new council houses and clearly this is a significant factor for us in moving to build 700 new homes.

"The recent Scottish Government announcement to provide £25m of additional funding for local authorities is also warmly welcomed by West Lothian Council and we will be making a serious bid for as big a share of that investment as we can get.

"These new homes are desperately needed and they will just be the first step towards addressing the serious imbalance we face between genuine housing need and the availability of council houses.

"West Lothian has Scotland's fastest growing population and we are determined to move forward and deliver a detailed council housing programme which will provide a minimum of 700 new council homes over the next four years."

(CD/JM)