Glasgow City Council's Executive Committee has approved an £83m funding package that will see more than 900 new and improved homes across the city.

The boost to the city's socially rented and affordable housing market is part of the Housing Development Funding Programme administered by the Council for use by Glasgow's Registered Social Landlords (RSLs); normally housing associations or housing cooperatives.

The funding will see 536 new homes built for rent and a further 189 built for low cost home ownership via the New Supply Shared Equity scheme NSSE (formerly Homestake), a scheme run by RSLs to help people on low incomes own their home.

New socially rented housing for people displaced by Glasgow Housing Association's ongoing demolition and building programme will also be funded by the programme.

A total of 69 homes will be improved from this funding, with a further 106 home owners receiving grants for improvements and repairs to be carried out.

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The Council has concentrated on approving financial support for housing projects that can offer mainstream housing along with those targeted at priority groups including people with particular needs such as wheelchair users, housing for ethnic minorities and large families, people with support needs and homeless people.

Providing housing that people on low incomes can afford to buy and own has also been a key element of this programme.

A number of the proposed housing developments will occupy vacant and derelict sites, including several disused primary schools. For example Maryhill PS and Cartvale school in Govan will be redeveloped to bring this land back into productive use and focus resources on continuing to regenerate these parts of the city.

Councillor Elaine McDougall, Executive Member for Housing, said: "Our funding allocation from Scottish Government has remained in line with previous years however as the credit crunch bites, this year especially, we are seeing increasing pressure put on the city's socially rented sector.

"We have liaised with housing associations to fund projects across Glasgow which will present value for money while going some way to redressing the shortfall of particular needs housing in the city.

"This year we also hope to be able to target a new group of people by offering mid market rent opportunities to assist people whose incomes are not quite enough to afford owner occupation but can afford to pay more than a social rent."

(GK/JM)