Mr Chisholm also officially opened an affordable housing development and suite of offices in the centre of the city.

And he detailed plans to help first time buyers get a "foot on the property ladder".

A new Homestake shared equity scheme will enable properties, either developed by housing associations or available on the open market, to be bought in part by a homebuyer with a housing association funding the balance with a Homestake grant.

Jim Pollock, Chair of the CIH in Scotland, will also address delegates later on Tuesday and is expected to call for a review of the current right to buy policy for council tenants.

Malcolm Chisholm unveiled the new plans at an Aberdeen conference

Campaigners argue that council house sales remain a major factor in the acute shortage of affordable housing.

Mr Pollock admitted that it was time for the Scottish Executive to review current policies.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme, he said: "One of the downsides of right to buy is that it's a 'one fit all' scenario and that's not what we need in the 21st Century.

"We need to look at how this policy is impacting on different local authorities across the land. Aberdeen will have a different dimension than Glasgow, as they will from the Borders or Shetland.

"The institute believes there should be more of a move towards local power to make local decisions."

Housing group, Shelter, described the plans as a wasted opportunity.

Scottish director Liz Nicholson said: "While there are many excellent landlords in the private rented sector, the poor standards of the few are increasingly turning the private sector into a tenure of last resort.

"If these landlords don't improve the way they manage properties - including the return of rental deposits - those renting privately will become increasingly marginalised."

She continued: "The private rented market is stagnating in Scotland, in sharp contrast to the flourishing markets elsewhere in Europe.

Row over measures

"It is in the interest of all good landlords in Scotland to ensure that the reputation of private renting in Scotland is improved if the sector is to be reinvigorated."

David Orr, Chief Executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, argued that too few homes are available for rent.

He said: "I think there is still too much focus on the needs of people who want owner occupation.

"I think ministers need to have a greater understanding on the pressing needs of people who are very badly housed or homeless at present, for whom the only realistic solution is rented housing."

Mr Orr added: "More than anything else, we need to see policy measures that will stimulate and increase the volume of rented housing."

Scottish Tories Communities spokeswoman Mary Scanlon said: "The greatest achievement in the Scottish housing market was the introduction of the right to buy by the Conservatives in 1980.

"As a result, 400,000 more people in Scotland now own their own homes.

"We will continue to protect the right to buy for current tenants from being watered down by the Labour -Lib Dem executive and the SNP - both of whom would put at risk the right to buy for many people in Scotland.

"I remain concerned that the Labour-Lib Dem executive is being overly prescriptive in its approach and is putting unfair levels of bureaucracy on the private landlord and the local authorities."