More new homes were built in Kent than anywhere else across the South East last year but developers are still way behind government housing targets.

There were 4,850 new dwellings completed in the county, excluding Medway, more than 500 ahead of its nearest rival Hampshire.

Kent was also top of the league for the number of homes completed by housing associations and local authorities with 1,220, meaning 25.2% were affordable homes.

The county is way ahead of the 18% average across England and 21% across the South East.

Medway built 220 new homes, with 60 defined as social housing, a proportion of 27.3%.

In all 148,000 new homes were finished across England in 2016/17, according to figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The number is way short of the government target to build 250,000 a year, with at least 80,000 going to the social housing sector.

Unions complained the failure to build enough new homes has “led to sky high house prices and ballooning private rents”.

Paul Maloney, GMB Southern regional secretary, called on the government to make it easier for local councils to build council houses for rent.

He said: “These figures for all homes completed in 2016/17 are less than 60% of the target and social housing completions are less than 34% of the target.

“The figures for each area in the South East are equally falling well below the numbers needed to meet pent up demand for new homes.

“It is high time the government enabled local councils to build council houses for rent.

“The figures for each area in the South East are equally falling well below the numbers needed to meet pent up demand for new homes..." - Paul Maloney, GMB

“That is the only way that the social housing targets can be met. This is now a priority as it is the only way that the lower paid workers across the region can get more affordable housing.

“The decisions of the Thatcher government in the 1980s to sell council housing stock, and not replace it, and to pay landlords housing benefit instead of providing social housing directly has been a huge and expensive mistake.”

The Department for Communities and Local Government was approached for comment.