A Labour Government would reinstate housebuilding targets after a Conservative U-turn brought production of local plans to a halt.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said his party wanted to ‘build more houses' and would ‘back the builders – not the blockers'.

Between 25 and 55 councils have paused drawing up local plans since local government secretary Michael Gove announced last year that housing targets would no longer be mandatory.

Sir Keir said: ‘Now housebuilding is going to plummet to the lowest level since the Second World War and that will kill the dream of house ownership, that dream of security for so many people and we intend to turn that around.

'Working people have been badly let down by this Government.

‘We also want to mend what is essentially a broken system to ensure that house are built under the direction of local areas.'

Associate director at planning consultancy Boyer, Christopher Roberts, said: ‘Keir Starmer's announcements provide hope of a more sensible approach to planning and development, which is refreshing after months of reactionary anti-housing posturing from the Government and Conservative backbenchers.'