During that period, the group built 1,862 new homes in Scotland (up from 1,729) and supported more than 4132 jobs (up from 3,700).

As part of its housebuilding activity, Barratt, which includes both Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, has made £15.9m in local contributions to help build new local facilities and infrastructure in communities surrounding its new developments, more than double the local contributions from last year (£7m). This contribution includes the provision of 706 new school places.

More than £32m was spent on physical works benefiting local communities including highway and environmental improvements. 

The achievements are highlighted in Barratt Scotland’s latest Social Economic Footprint report, carried out by planning consultant Lichfield, which measures the housebuilder’s social and economic contribution to Scotland over the past year. Included within the report are key measures relating to the company’s support for the housebuilding supply chain, local communities, environment, public services and employment.

Other highlights from the year ending 30 June 2018 include:

• Directly employed 50 new graduates, trainees and apprentices
• Supported 740 sub-contractor companies and 660 supplier companies
• Planted or retained 44,120 trees or shrubs on its developments
• Recycled 98% of construction waste
• Created 20.9ha of greenspace through public open space and private gardens
• Generated £67m in tax to support public services

Douglas McLeod, regional managing director for Scotland at Barratt Developments, said: “The past year has seen us step up our housebuilding activity in Scotland. Not only have we built more homes, invested in more jobs, and increased our local contributions, but we have done so at a time when many other businesses have pressed pause on activity due to political and economic headwinds.

“For us, it’s very simple. Demand for new homes continues to outstrip supply and we have a major role to play in ensuring that the Scottish housing market attempts to keep pace. Not only that, but we have a responsibility to build top-quality homes in communities where people want to live, and to further invest in those communities so that they are best placed to thrive, both now and in the future.”

Last month, Barratt announced that it had acquired 16 new plots in Scotland, amid strong demand from home-buyers.

During the first nine months of the year, the group acquired sites as far north as Inverness down to the Central Belt. The 16 sites will provide 2,644 new homes and include developments in Edinburgh, Elgin, Inverness, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Wallyford and West Calder.

The group said at the time that it hoped to have acquired a further four sites north of the Border, providing an additional 1,165 homes, by the end of the year.