BLACKBURN with Darwen is bucking the trend in meeting Government house building targets in East Lancashire.

The local authority, along with Hyndburn, is in the minority of local authorities in the area in terms of surpassing Government targets based on an average over the last 10 years.

According to figures compiled by the BBC’s shared data unit, an average of 232 new homes have been built in Blackburn with Darwen over the last decade, compared to the target of 153.

And in Hyndburn, an average of 86 new homes have been built. The target is 60.

But with the exception of Hyndburn and Blackburn with Darwen, councils in the area are falling short in building new homes and converting other properties into homes.

Based on the average figures over the last 10 years, just 26 per cent of the required new homes according to Government targets have been built in Pendle.

Chorley, Rossendale, Burnley and Ribble Valley all fall between 84 per cent and 95 per cent of their 10-year target.

Almost a decade on from the 2008 financial crash, some 52 per cent of councils saw fewer homes built in the past year than in the year leading up to the crisis.

80 per cent of council areas (267 out of 333 with comparable data) saw fewer homes built annually than the government estimated they needed.

Although overall house-building rates have been going up nationally year on year since hitting a post recession low in 2012/13, nationally the pace of supply is not enough for the country’s long term demands.

There is also a North-South divide, with many areas in the north building faster and in greater volumes than the south.

Cllr Jamie Groves, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s assistant executive member for regeneration, said: “The current local plan for Blackburn with Darwen plans for almost 3,000 new homes to be built between 2016 and 2021 which includes a mix of homes across a range of markets that will help both people living here already, and attract people to come and live and work in the area.

“We are currently waiting for confirmation on the Government housing figures referenced.

"The council has already started work on a new local plan for the borough and as part of this work, an assessment of housing needs of the borough is being undertaken to ensure we get the right balance.”

The Department for Communities and Local Government said it was committed to building a housing market “fit for the future” with 217,000 new homes delivered in England last year.