More than 40,000 government homes will be built in Bahrain within the next eight years, said a report citing the country's housing minister.

They will be divided among seven new towns across the country - some of which are under construction or in the planning stages, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

The Northern Town will have 15,161 homes, the Eastern Hidd Town will consist of 4,526 units, while 5,000 houses will be built in the Eastern Sitra Town, along with 5,500 in the Southern Town and 3,500 in the New Salmabad Town.

"We are currently looking for plots for the new Future Dannat Town in Muharraq, which will see 7,000 homes built," Housing Minister Bassem Al Hamer told parliament in writing.

"Those projects will take up to eight years to complete and the Northern, Hidd and Southern will be partially covered by the $10 billion GCC Aid, while Eastern Sitra and New Salmabad will be constructed in co-operation with the private sector.

"No budget has yet been assigned to the newest project, which is the Future Dannat Al Muharraq," he added.

There are around 60,000 families on the ministry's waiting lists, but Mr Al Hamer said the 40,687 homes will clear the backlog until 2010.

Meanwhile, work on a suspended housing project in the Buhair Valley is expected to resume soon after environmental assessments have been completed.

"We are expecting work on 400 homes to begin during this period after work was suspended last year due to environmental fears," said  Al Hamer.

Parliament will discuss the housing plan at its weekly session on Tuesday.-TradeArabia News Service