​Commission says recommendations are modest and achievable but new approach is needed

At least 23,000 affordable homes a year need to be built in Scotland, an influential commission has reported.

More properties would create more jobs and encourage greater health and education among Scots, according to the Commission on Housing and Wellbeing.

The commission was set up two years ago by Shelter Scotland.

Its report says radical action is needed to alleviate poverty and that ignoring its recommendations would plunge the country’s housing sector deeper into crisis.

The report found more than 150,000 families are waiting for social housing; 940,000 people are in fuel poverty; 60,000 households are overcrowded; and half of all Scottish housing is not of the required quality standards.

Only 15,500 homes were constructed in 2013-14 but the report says increasing new house builds was a modest aim and well within the Scottish Government’s capacity.

We have set a challenging and ambitious set of priorities for the government through this report -

Commission chair Robert Black said: "There are some stark statistics in the report about numbers of households on the waiting list, which is more than 150,000.

"More and more families are living on short-term tenancies in the private rented sector, so we think there's a real issue.

He added: "We will be looking to the finance secretary and the spending review which the Scottish government will be announcing later this year as an indication that they are seriously going to try to tackle these problems."

Inequality, poverty and poor housing were inextricably linked the report found, and that alleviating housing demand would address these wider reaching issues.

Shelter Scotland's director, Graeme Brown, said: "We have set a challenging and ambitious set of priorities for the government through this report. However, obviously we are in constrained times.

“We will be looking to the finance secretary and the spending review which the Scottish government will be announcing later this year as an indication that they are seriously going to try to tackle these problems."

Social justice secretary Alex Neil MSP welcomed the publication.

He said: "Housing is at the heart of the Scottish government's ambitions to create a fairer and more prosperous country, and it is our aim that everyone should have a safe, warm home which suits their needs and they can afford.”