More than 40 Scottish housing associations took part in the survey

The survey by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) found that high prices and a lack of land had hindered house building plans.

The poll also highlighted "huge dissatisfaction" with Scottish Water.

Scottish Water said a lack of funds had curbed developments recently but it was trying to improve the situation.

The questionnaire, answered by 45 housing associations, revealed land availability had been a constraint for 80% of respondents during the past two years.

Almost 60% of social housing providers also identified building projects which had been delayed in the past two years due to the planning system.

In rural and urban areas, housing associations highlighted a lack of land zoned off in local plans and high prices because of competition from private developers.

Lost paperwork

More than 90% of affordable housing developers also said there was a lack of water or sewerage infrastructure in areas with a shortage of homes.

The SFHA said one of the strongest points to emerge from the survey was problems with Scottish Water.

Most housing associations complained about huge delays in receiving responses, difficulties in accessing staff due to the closure of local offices, lost paperwork and a lack of clarity about the improvements programme.

The SFHA highlighted one case in which Scottish Water officials refused to meet a housing association's consultants until planning permission for a development had been granted.

The report stated: "By this time, a great deal of time and money had been expended on a site which might not be developable due to water constraints."

Linda Ewart, SFHA policy and practice director, called on the Scottish Executive and local authorities to take "a more proactive approach" to releasing land specifically for affordable housing.

"The housing demands of the 21st Century can no longer be served by outdated planning and infrastructure systems," she added.

'Understand frustrations'

Atholl Duncan, Scottish Water's director of corporate affairs, said: "We understand the frustrations of housing associations over the past four years when Scottish Water did not have significant funding to tackle the issue of development constraints.

"However, from this financial year, we will receive �137m in funding from the Scottish Executive to relieve those constraints and enable development across Scotland over the next four years."

Mr Duncan said the organisation was working closely with local authorities and developers to move the issue forward.

But he added: "Developers will also have to play their part.

"Unfortunately at the moment 80% of the applications Scottish Water receives do not have the right information to allow us to make a new connection."

An executive spokesman said the reform of the planning system through the Planning Bill, which is currently going through the Scottish Parliament, would "make a significant contribution to securing more land for affordable housing".

"In addition, we have commissioned research to look at possible new mechanisms for delivering affordable housing, and we have established a group with local authorities and others to explore what more can be done in areas of greatest need," he added.