Thousands of new homes for rent or low cost ownership will be built across Scotland this year.

The Scottish Government plans to approve grants for a record breaking 8,100 affordable homes.

The housing boost is backed by £644m from the Scottish Government's Affordable Housing Investment Programme.

A breakdown of planned housing approvals in all local authority areas has been published.

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The housing is expected to inject renewed confidence in Scotland's building industry as it copes with the economic recession.

Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil said: "As part of the Scottish Government's economic recovery plan we are doing all we can to build more affordable homes, and breath new life into our economy.

"Record numbers of new affordable houses will help safeguard jobs, support the construction industry and keep the Scottish economy moving. Despite the pressures of a tight budget settlement from Westminster, we are pulling out all the stops by investing a record £1.5 bn in housing over the next three years."

The £644m includes accelerated funding of £80m, £20m of which is made possible by acceleration of local government funding agreed with COSLA.

(GK/JM)