Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell has praised new figures showing that there were over 12,000 planning consents given for affordable housing in the last two years, but says more work need to be done.

The figures are contained in the Affordable Housing Securing Planning Consent Report and show that in 2005, 173 affordable housing units were granted consent, the vast majority of which were publicly funded.

Mr Maxwell said: "I welcome the publication of these new statistics, which highlight the levels and locations of affordable housing that are being approved by planning authorities across Scotland. The Scottish Government has made clear its commitment to housing and our intention to increase housing supply, across all tenures, to at least 35,000 annually by the middle of the next decade.

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"These statistics detail, for the first time, how planning authorities are negotiating with private developers to increase the levels of affordable housing being developed in their communities."

The Minister added that these statistics show the introduction of Planning Advice Notice 74 has had a positive impact on affordable housing and that many planning authorities are successfully negotiating developer contributions.

"It is also clear that councils and developers have to do more to achieve the 25 per cent benchmark for affordable housing contributions from developments in areas with an identified need and lack of affordable housing," he concluded.

(GK/JM)