AT least 30,000 new homes a year are needed in Scotland in order to tackle a housing crisis, according to a leading trade body.

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) said only half the number of new homes needed were being built, and called on ministers to adopt the ambitious annual target until 2020.

The Scottish Government has committed to delivering 30,000 affordable new homes in the lifetime of the current parliament. However, a significantly more ambitious programme would have to be initiated if the FMB target is to be met.

A spokesman for the FMB said it was envisaged that a significant proportion of the new homes it was calling for would be classed as affordable, while thousands more houses coming on to the market would prevent a boom in prices.

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: "This is a realistic target and one that can be achieved if we remove barriers to small local builders.

"Key issues which must be addressed in the short and medium-term include improved access to finance for small firms and increasing the number of smaller sites suitable for development by smaller scale house builders."

The FMB said that for every £1 invested in construction, 92p stays within the UK, showing how important the sector was for the economy.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said ministers were committed to increasing the supply of houses across the country.

She added: "We are investing over £1.7 billion to deliver our target of 30,000 affordable homes during the lifetime of this Parliament, and are already three quarters of the way to achieving this target.

"We know conditions remain challenging, that's why the Scottish Government continues to take action to support recovery and growth through initiatives like Help to Buy (Scotland) and the new Help to Buy (Scotland) Small Developers scheme."