More than 423,000 homes have been given planning permission but are still waiting to be built, according to new research published today by the Local Government Association.

The study shows the backlog has grown by almost 16 per cent in the last year.

The figures also show that developers are taking longer to build new homes. It now takes 40 months, on average, from schemes receiving planning permission to building work being completed – eight months longer than in 2013/14.

The LGA, which represents 370 councils in England and Wales, says the new analysis underlines the need for councils to be given greater powers to take action on unbuilt land which has planning permission.

It says councils need powers to act on uncompleted schemes, including making it easier to compulsory purchase land where homes remain unbuilt, and to be able to charge developers full council tax for every unbuilt development from the point that the original planning permission expires.

No-one can live in a planning permission. Councils need greater powers to act where housebuilding has stalled.

Here in Greater Manchester the Spatial Framework says we need to find space for 227,000 new homes in the next 20 years.