Starts on new homes in 2013 totalled 122,590, up by 23% on the previous year, and the highest since 2007, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said

Communities secretary Eric Pickles said: “Last year we built the most homes since 2007 and even the appalling weather conditions this winter have not stopped our hardy builders from getting the job done.”

The Help to Buy equity loan scheme has delivered around 2,500 new home reservations a month and in total has resulted in over 25,000 reservations mostly to first-time buyers.

However, Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation, warned the UK is still building at a rate well short of the number of homes the country requires.

“Government needs to continue to implement policies that result in a rate of house building that meets the country’s need,” he said.

“Doing so will deliver significant economic and social benefits.”

Housing minister Kris Hopkins today confirmed Whitehall departments have sold enough brownfield land to build 68,000 homes, the same number as in the whole of Blackpool.

And the government confirmed it is on track to release enough land for 100,000 homes by 2015, with over two-thirds of the programme complete.