The figure in the Fife Housing Survey is the same number of homes as in the previous year, and the joint highest total since the global economic crisis of 2008.

Housing development was successful in bringing previously used brownfield land back into beneficial use - with 49% of all completed houses being built on brownfield land.

Affordable housing, developed through Fife Council, Fife Housing Alliance and housing associations accounted for 47% of new homes – considerably more than both national and local policy requirements.

Pam Ewen, Fife Council’s chief officer - planning, said: “I am pleased by the steady performance of the house building industry in Fife this year. All parts of the house building sector have worked hard to sustain the level of housing being delivered to house the people of Fife. Although the delivery of new homes remains below pre-recession levels, I am encouraged by this year’s performance and will work to improve on it in future years.

“This year also saw the first housing delivered on one of the allocated Strategic Development Areas, at Wellwood, Dunfermline. This development signals the ability of the industry to work towards starting work on other Strategic Development Areas in the short and medium terms.

“Land with planning permission is available for nearly six years’ building at the current rates. Fife Council is committed to accelerating the production of new homes to bolster the economy and to bring land in the Local Development Plan forward for development to further increase much-needed housing delivery.”