Official figures have revealed that the amount of new housebuilding beginning in Scotland declined by more than a quarter over the past year.

In 2008/09, building on 20,000 new homes got under way - a 26% drop on the previous year, when the figure was 26,900.

According to the Housing Statistics for Scotland, the number of new homes built and completed also dropped 17% from 25,700 to 21,400 last year.

In more positive news, the building of affordable homes in the public sector has now hit the highest level since the mid-1990s.

In 2008/09 there were 4,913 new affordable homes finished - the highest number in a single year since 1995/96.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said this was down to "record" Scottish Government funding with £644 million allocated for affordable housing this year.

She said: "Building projects throughout the country are bringing much-needed new contracts and safeguarding jobs for Scotland's construction industry.

"Against a backdrop of continuing economic uncertainty, and at a time when new builds in the private sector are declining, this is more important than ever.

"We have committed over £1.5 billion to build thousands of affordable homes and importantly, help stimulate activity, safeguard jobs and keep the economy moving."

The drop in private sector building has contributed to housing association and council new builds now accounting for 23% of new properties - compared to 13% three years ago.

Overall new housing supply, which includes new builds as well as refurbishments and conversions, has dropped by 18% from 27,500 in 2007/08 to 22,600 in 2008/09.

The amount of public sector homes bought by tenants under "right to buy" legislation fell by 46% in 2008-09, from 6,800 to 3,700.

This continues the declining trend in sales observed over recent years since the short-lived increase prior to introduction of the modernised Right to Buy, which came into effect in 2002.

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