House-building is at the heart of the government’s long-term economic plan, according to Keighley MP and Housing Minister Kris Hopkins.

He said government investment was enabling the houses to be built that the country needed, and creating opportunities for people to own their own home or get into work.

“These opportunities were taken away by the end of the unsustainable housing boom in 2008, which left builders unable to build and aspiring homeowners unable to buy,” Mr Hopkins added.

“It also meant the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in the construction industry.”

He said since 2010, 420,000 new homes – including 99,000 affordable properties – had been built nationally.