Shelter Scotland today urged the Scottish Government to focus on building rather than buying after it launched an expanded home ownership scheme for first time buyers.

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, housing and homelessness charity, said: "Shelter Scotland welcomed this expanded scheme as a way to support the housing market when the First Minister announced it at the SNP conference last October.

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"But we also expressed concerns about focussing on schemes that could mean would-be homeowners overstretching themselves to get onto the property market."

Mr Brown said the dream of homeownership, fuelled by over 200,000 households on waiting lists and not enough social housing, has been an "integral factor" in the housing bubble bursting and the current recession.

"We continue to urge the Scottish Government to focus on building more affordable rented homes to ensure people have a real choice about where they live, without feeling forced into buying a home or overstretching themselves," he said.

(GK/JM)