The figures revealed that over 217,000 new homes were built in England last year, the highest level of construction since the recession.

Mr Javid highlighted the government’s determination to deliver affordable homes by referencing the £9bn invested in this type of housing.

“The figures that have been released today show that we have started turning things around.

“But they are only a small step in the right direction.

“What we need now is a giant leap.”

During his speech, he added: “We’ve doubled the housing budget to deliver a million more homes, including hundreds of thousands of affordable ones.

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“We have reformed planning rules, leading to record levels of planning permissions being granted.

“We have fought bureaucratic inertia and vested interests and we have freed up unprecedented levels of public sector land.

“We’re providing hundreds of millions of pounds of finance for small and innovative builders to accelerate construction speeds.”

Mr Javid also urged private sector developers to play their part in delivering more homes, more quickly.

“They’re great at securing planning permissions – but people can’t live in planning permissions.

“We’re giving the industry the support that it needs, and I expect the industry to respond by getting shovels in the ground.

“But the sector should remember that it’s not just government that wants to see this happen.”