New figures show that the percentage of new homes built on previously residential land (including back gardens) has increased to 25 per cent, up 14 percentage points since 1997. The government has recently changed the planning rules to prevent unwanted ‘garden grabbing'.

Local communities that build more local homes will be rewarded with funding - to use in their local area - under the New Homes Bonus, to be introduced early in the Spending Review period.

201 MPs have signed a Parliamentary motion which urges the government to deal with the local proposals made under the Sustainable Communities Act in the last Parliament.

Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, has announced government action to shorten and simplify environmental regulations for developers. These include replacing four sets of rules about Environmental Impact Assessments with one set of regulations.