It is the second wave of housing plans to be launched under the National Housing Trust initiative, which is using a more innovative approach to delivering council homes.

The scheme allows developers and local authorities to jointly fund homes with local authority loans to the scheme being underwritten by the Scottish Government.

The homes remain available for below-market rent for between five and 10 years, before being sold, with residents getting first priority to buy.

The first scheme were launched last year but demand was so high from councils and house builders that a larger second phase is being put out to bid.

Since then deals have been struck to build nearly 500 affordable homes for rent bringing in around £70m of funding which have protected around 800 jobs by unlocking doors to mothballed construction sites.

Miller Homes has just signed contracts to build 89 new NHT homes in Edinburgh.

This time round almost half of Scotland’s local authorities have signed up to phase two and are inviting applications from developers to participate.

To register an interest by 9 January and obtain any additional information visit the Public Contracts Scotland web site at www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk.