Barratt has unveiled plans to build nearly 4000 new homes across Scotland.

During the first six months of the year, the developer acquired 14 sites which will provide 2560 new homes.

Barratt is also planning to purchase another ten sites in Scotland, to develop a further 1428 new homes.

The overall total will include around 700 affordable properties.

The move comes after the Scottish Government estimated 465,000 new homes were needed by 2035 to cope with expected housing demand.

Completions across Scotland in 2017 rose by 4.8% to 17,739, but that figure equated to just 806 extra new homes on the previous year.

The acquired sites across Scotland include Inverness, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Perth, as well as East Lothian, West Lothian, East Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire.

Barratt hopes to start building on the new sites during first half of next year.

Douglas McLeod, the company's regional managing director for Scotland, said: "Demand for good quality homes in Scotland shows no signs of slowing, in line with a steadily growing population.

"For our part, we are continuing to invest in Scotland, acquiring new sites and building homes in popular places where people want to live.

"The good news is that we're seeing an increase in the number of locations across Scotland which have become desirable places to live, helping to foster the growth of new communities while at the same time stimulating local economies."