The Scottish government says it is firmly on track to hit its ambitious target of 50,000 affordable homes by 2021.

The latest official Scottish statistics published this week show there were more than 9,500 affordable homes delivered in 2018-19, an increase of 12% on the previous year.

As part of this rise, completions of social rented homes accounted for 6,573 of the properties, 25% more than the previous year.

The statistics also show a record increase in the number of new build homes completed across all sectors, which reached more than 20,000 for the first time in ten years.

This rise is reflected in the Registers of Scotland property market report, also published this week, which shows that 12% of all residential property sales in the last year were new builds - the highest proportion since 2008-09.

Scottish housing minister Kevin Stewart said: “Everyone in Scotland deserves a safe, warm place to live, and I’m delighted that since 2007 we have delivered a total of 86,109 affordable homes including 59,131 homes for social rent. We are also firmly on track to deliver our target of 50,000 affordable homes by 2021, backed by investment of £3.3bn. The statistics highlight more than half the homes are now completed, with approvals well on course.

“Providing more affordable homes is a crucial part of this government’s aim to create a fairer Scotland, and improve communities through inclusive growth. On my visits across the country, I have seen the real difference these new developments have made to people’s lives. A home is more than just bricks and mortar – it’s about a sense of identity and belonging. It is also great to see a rise in the number of new homes across all sectors providing choice across all tenures.”