As part of the new measures, a new homes ombudsman will support homebuyers facing problems with their newly built homes.

The ombudsman will protect the interests of homebuyers and hold developers to account when things go wrong.

The government has also announced its commitment to help provide the homes the country needs through planning reform, plus measures to improve the safety of high-rise buildings.

It has also announced plans to consult on further measures to speed up the planning system as well as make better use of land and vacant buildings to deliver new homes.

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These plans include:

• introducing a new permitted development right to allow property owners to extend certain buildings upwards, while maintaining the character of residential and conservation areas and safeguarding people’s privacy
• clearer guidance to give more certainty for communities when land is needed to make a new town a reality
• giving local authorities more flexibility to dispose of surplus land that could instead accommodate new homes

The government will consult on these new measures in due course.

Meanwhile, to support the Commonwealth Games in 2022, a £165m fund will unlock up to 5,100 homes in Birmingham and provide the infrastructure to support these new homes.