THE Borders will see a £43.9 million investment in affordable housing over the next three years.

The cash, which will be injected into the region between 2018 and 2021, is part of the Scottish Government’s £1.75 billion drive to build more homes across the country.

Councils and house-builders across the 32 local authorities will have the opportunity to plan ahead with grant subsidies guaranteed for the first time until 2021.

In 2018-19, £532 million will be shared among councils – rising to £591 million in 2019-20 and £630 million in 2020-21.

Christine Grahame, SNP MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, welcomed the announcement.

She told us: “The announcement that the Borders will receive £43.9m over the next three years provides the certainty that the Borders and the sector needs to keep progressing and ensures we keep up the momentum to reach the Scottish Government’s target of 50,000 new affordable homes by 2021.

“Increasing the supply of affordable homes is a key SNP commitment and plays a vital role in helping to tackle poverty and inequality.

“Committing funding until the end of this parliament will help ensure that Scotland leads the way in building homes that are high-quality, efficient and affordable, and will strengthen our house-building sector and the estimated 14,000 jobs that the affordable housing supply programme supports each year.

“The SNP believes that everyone in Scotland deserves a warm, affordable home and, with a huge number of affordable homes approved last year, we are making great progress towards that aim.”

However, Conservatives in the region argued the investment should have been made sooner.

John Lamont, MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, said: “This investment is certainly to be welcomed, but it’s very much a case of too little, too late. 

“Far too many people are waiting to be found suitable accommodation in the Borders and many more still are wanting to buy their own homes but are struggling to do so.

“The UK Government has shown real ambition in setting a target of one million new homes by 2020, it’s time the SNP started being similarly ambitious for Scotland.

“The Scottish Conservatives want 100,000 new homes to be built over the lifetime of the next parliament, which far exceeds the Scottish Government’s targets.

“As well as building more homes, Governments need to make it easier for the public and private sector – by simplifying planning and by supporting infrastructure such as transport links and broadband.”