The property industry, including those involved in the construction of new homes, is "very much behind" government efforts to encourage regeneration.

This is the view of the British Property Federation (BPF), which asserts that it has been coordinating efforts with the government in recent years to push forward regeneration projects.

Andrew Teacher, spokesman for the BPF, stated that contrary to popular belief, the majority of new build projects take place on brownfield land - that which has already been developed - rather than greenbelt sites.

In news likely to be welcomed by builders of new homes, Mr Teacher observed: "What would solve the housing crisis would be the government looking at an intermediate market.

"At the minute it's that you buy a house, or you're on benefits; the government doesn't look at the people in between: the people who earn too much to qualify for social housing but who don't enough to buy houses."

In March, Scottish communities minister Rhona Brankin marked the launch of the Scottish Property Federation, asserting construction industry representatives that their efforts were "the key to a smart, successful, confident and growing Scotland".