EAST Renfrewshire’s population is expected to grow by more than 13 per cent in the coming decades.

The area is one of only three councils in the country to see a rise in the number of children, while all other local authorities face an increase in people aged 75 and over.

Projections released by experts at the National Records of Scotland (NRS) predict a 13.5 per cent hike in the number of residents, from 95,836 in 2018 to 107,971 in 2043.

As a whole, Scotland is expected to see a more modest 1.8 per cent increase by 2028, taking the country’s total population to 5.54 million.

East Renfrewshire’s growth in the same period is predicted to be 6.4 per cent.

The NRS report also predicts the number of elderly Scots will increase amid a boost in life expectancy.

Men in the local area lived to an average of 81.3 years in 2018, with the average life expectancy for women even greater, at 84.3 years.

By 2043, that is expected to improve to 84.1 years and 87.3 years respectively.

There remains significant discrepancies across the country. For example, a baby girl born in the Western Isles in 2027/28 will likely live to 85.8 years – 6.6 years longer than a baby girl born at the same time in Glasgow, which is the area with the lowest projected life expectancy.

Alan Ferrier, head of demography statistics at NRS, said: “While Scotland’s overall population is projected to increase over the next decade, there is variation across Scotland, with some councils projected to decline in population.

“In many areas of Scotland, the number of births are projected to continue to be lower than deaths, highlighting that migration remains the key driver of population increase.”