The strategy focuses on four key priorities:

An annual target of 348 new homes, including 128 affordable homes, has been set for the next five year period.

Councillor Mark Rowley, the council’s executive member for business and economic development, said: “This new strategy comes at an important time for housing in the Scottish Borders and addresses a number of the most significant challenges facing the council, its partners and our communities.

“The strategy has been developed in partnership with the local registered social landlords and meeting our targets will require ongoing support from a range of partners, including the Scottish Government, and private sector investment too.”

All Scottish local authorities are required to prepare a Local Housing Strategy every five years, setting out a vision for the supply, quality and availability of housing in their local area. It also sets out a range of actions the council and partners will take to make sure this vision becomes a reality.

A spokesperson for Borders Housing Network, which is made up of the four local registered social landlords, said: “We recognise that there are particular challenges in the Scottish Borders, such as higher than average house prices, lower than average income and fuel poverty, as well as future issues, such as an increasing older population.

“This strategy is key to meeting the housing needs of our communities over the coming years and by working together all those in the local housing sector can make a real difference to the lives of our residents.”