While the government pursues its self-imposed target of building 300,00 new homes a year - regardless of whether there is the infrastructure to support them - new research suggests the number of long-term empty homes is growing.

Nationally the average increase in empty properties was 5% in a year, but in Maidstone, where the council is being told it must build more than 10,000 extra homes on top of those already allocated in the Local Plan, they have gone up by 42%.

The figures, obtained by modular homes provider Project Etopia, show there were 342 empty properties in Maidstone in 2017, but that had jumped to 485 in 2018.

The county town had the eighth highest increase in vacant properties in the whole of England, with Portsmouth leading the way with a 101% jump.

The figures have been derived from government statistics gathered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The definition of a long-term vacant property is one that has been empty for at least six months.

In neighbouring boroughs, Swale saw an increase in empty homes from 348 to 356, up just 2%.

Sevenoaks rose from 315 to 367, a rise of 17%.

But Tonbridge and Malling dropped by one property from 360 to 359 and Tunbridge Wells fell from 448 to 405, a decrease of 10%.

In terms of the overall number of empty properties, Birmingham leads the way. It has 4,283 homes without an occupant.

Across the country there are 216,186 empty homes and Project Etopia estimates that their total value is £53.6billion.