A new report has revealed around 30,000 new build completions are not counted in the UK Government's official method to measure housebuilding.

In its 'Ghost Towns' report, the Home Builders Federation (HBF) stated around a fifth of all new build completions are excluded from the government's 'House Building Statistics' every year.

The Department of Communities and Local Government's (DCLG) quarterly release under reports completions in 75% of council areas, with an average of 153 new homes 'lost' in each region.

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In addition, the HBF said more than half of new housing in areas such as Birmingham, Liverpool, Leicester, Salford and many London Boroughs go completely unaccounted for, while a town equivalent to the size of Stevenage is being 'lost' every year.

Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the HBF, said the continued publication of innaccurate figures is "painting a negative picture", which undermines progress being made to tackle the UK's housing shortage.

"The Government's housing policies and the industry are delivering, and it is incredibly frustrating that official statistics are not reflecting what is happening on the ground but instead presenting an open goal for critics," he said.

To view the report, visit here.

(LM)