Construction of more than 100 council houses began in Dundee, Perth and Kinross and Fife last year, according to new Scottish Government figures.
They were among just over 1000 local authority properties to be built during the year more than double the total for 2009 and the highest figure for two decades.
Housing and communities minister Alex Neil said, “Local authorities are to be congratulated for the record numbers of council houses taking root across Scotland. This government is investing over £100 million to help make this a reality.
“This is the first central government funding to encourage local authorities to build new housing in 30 years. Combined with ending the right to buy on all new-build social housing, this will reverse decades of decline in council stock levels.”
The figures show that construction on 42 council houses began in Dundee during 2010, with 36 in Perth and Kinross and 35 in Fife. There were none in Angus.
However, the statistics also show there was a 14% drop in the number of homes being built under the affordable homes investment programme in the last three months of 2010, compared to the same quarter the previous year. There was also a 21% decrease for housing association new-builds over the same period.
Mr Neil added, “As these figures show Scotland’s housing system continues to face major challenges. However, unlike Westminster, we are not turning our back on social rented housing.
“The future will be tough as massive UK Government cuts begin to bite, which is why we must make every penny of government money go further to increase the supply of affordable homes across the country.”
Including housing association properties, more than 24,000 social rented homes have been built in the last four years in Scotland. Restrictions on tenants buying their council house saw an 8% fall in purchases last year to fewer than 1700.