Housing starts are at their highest level in over eight years, according to new research.

The latest house building figures revealed completions have increased by 7% compared with the same quarter last year.

The report comes at a time when Chancellor Phillip Hammond announced a new £2.3 billion Housing Infrastructure in the Autumn Statement, which will deliver up to 100,000 homes and unlock new housing supply.

Other key announcements include:

• £1.4bn to deliver an additional 40,000 'affordable' housing starts by 2020 to 2021. The government will also relax restrictions on grant funding.

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• £2bn to pilot 'accelerated construction' to speed up house building on surplus public sector land (£1.7bn once Barnett Consequentials are factored in)

• £1.8bn of extra spending by Housing Associations from sources other than central government.

• Funding an expanded regional pilot of the Right to Buy for housing association tenants

• Launching a consultation on banning letting agents from charging fees to tenants

• Doubling the size of the Rough Sleeping Fund from £10 million to £20 million

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said doubling capital spending will "inject the stimulus" needed by the market for a step change in the number of homes being built.

"We have been clear that we need to build a lot more homes if we are to achieve a country that works for everyone," he said.

"That is why we are announcing the biggest dedicated housing investment in a generation to get house building firing on all cylinders."

Housing Minister Gavin Barwell added: "The government has set out an ambition of creating a country that works for everyone. The Autumn Statement ensures we are taking steps to deliver this by building more of the right homes, in the right places."

(LM/MH)