Social Justice and Communities Secretary Alex Neil unveiled plans for 160 more affordable homes across the north-east yesterday.
Mr Neil revealed the plans during a visit to Westhill, where he said efforts to meet demand for low-cost housing had been hampered by budget decisions at Westminster.
The 160 mid-market rental homes will be built at six sites across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including 24 at Broadshade in Westhill, where Mr Neil was.
It is hoped the scheme will make it easier for key workers, such as teachers, nurses and carers to come to the north-east.
Yesterday Mr Neil vowed the Scottish Government would make “every pound” go as far as possible to deliver homes in the region.
Many workers are said to be put off working in Aberdeen city and shire due to the cost of renting or buying a home in the area, whilst Aberdeenshire Council’s waiting list for council properties has nearly 14,000 names on it.
Mr Neil added: “This is a very substantial development indeed. The more houses we can build the better because we have key workers coming into the area struggling to find a house and people on the waiting list already looking for housing.
“We can’t get enough houses built quick enough to accommodate the demand in Aberdeenshire.
“That is why the Scottish Government is working so closely with Aberdeenshire Council to do everything we can in every possible way to build as many new houses in every tenure.
“We’re working on every front to maximise the number of houses against a background where our budget has been sliced ribbons by the UK government.
“We’re trying to make every pound we have travel as far as possible.”
He added the development of the former Craiginches Prison site, in Torry, into 127 affordable homes as another “flagship” scheme in the area.
Mr Neil said: “We’re helping both Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. In Aberdeen there will be the flagship Craiginches project which is directed at key workers and that is using public land to convert that for the use of housing to try and relieve the key worker housing problem in the city of Aberdeen.”
Chairwoman of Aberdeenshire Council’s social work and housing committee, Anne Allan, said the Westhill homes could “attract teachers, nurses, doctors and carers” to the area.
She added it was “absolutely great” to see the scheme come together.