71,000 homes built in West Midlands in six years

But the government is facing calls to tackle what Labour calls a 'housing crisis' and provide even more.

Latest statistics, published by the Valuation Office Agency, show an increase of 16,100 homes in the West Midlands between March 2014 and March 2015 alone.

Communities Secretary Greg Clark said: "Today's figures show how our efforts have got the country building again, with almost 800,000 additional homes delivered since the end of 2009.

"Our radically reformed planning system has put power in the hands of local communities, helping over 200,000 households onto the property ladder through Government-backed schemes. Whilst our efforts to cut the deficit have helped keep interest rates at their record low making mortgages more affordable.

"This Government is on the side of working people and is supporting their aspirations to own their own home."

In 2009 there were 2,352,000 homes compared with 2,422,950 now.

The figures show there are now 136,000 homes in Dudley, 130,270 in Sandwell, 113,180 in Walsall, 107,560 in Wolverhampton, 57,290 in Stafford, 46,320 in South Staffordshire, 46,030 in Wyre Forest, 43,840 in Lichfield and 42,200 in Cannock Chase.

But Emma Reynolds, Labour MP for Wolverhampton North East and shadow communities and local government secretary, said home ownership, the number of affordable homes and the level of housebuilding have all fallen under the Conservatives.

She said: "I and my colleagues in the Labour party are deeply concerned about the urgent and growing housing crisis.

"Housing has rightly risen up the political agenda in recent months and years, and many of our constituents will say not before time.

"In the past five years house building has fallen to its lowest level in peacetime since the 1920s. The Prime Minister likes to claim that the Conservative party is the party of home ownership, but the facts fly in the face of his rhetoric. Home ownership has fallen to a 30-year low. It is, as it happens, at its lowest since the last time there was a majority Tory Government.

"We call on the Government to bring forward a comprehensive plan to tackle the housing crisis. This plan needs to focus on: building more homes, including badly needed affordable homes; boosting home ownership, allowing people to fulfil their aspirations to buy their own home; improving private renting for the 11 million people now renting from a private landlord; and reducing homelessness and rough sleeping."