England is heading for a housing crisis if current housebuilding levels are not increased, according to a report.

The National Housing and Planning Advice Unit (NHPAU) published the report in response to the Government’s current target of building an extra three million homes by 2020.

The NHPAU has welcomed the Government’s ambitions for increased housing, arguing that the pledges made in the Green Paper 'Homes For The Future' are an important move to help stabilise affordability over the next decade.

-- Advertisement --

However, the independent body set up to advise ministers on new homes said 270,000 more were needed each year

The report said average prices in England were more than seven times average salaries and by 2026 this could rise to nine-and-a-half times the average.

To help tackle the affordability problem, the NHPAU says that regional authorities will need to ensure that their delivery plans increase the level of housebuilding across the whole country.

(NS/SP)