The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), a charity that promotes diversity in rural England, says that Office of the Deputy Prime Minister figures show that 160,000 new homes were completed in England last year.

A group of countryside campaigners is urging the government to continue to develop many of its new residential developments on brownfield sites.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), a charity that promotes diversity in rural England, says that Office of the Deputy Prime Minister figures show that 160,000 new homes were completed in England last year.

CPRE's planning and housing campaigner Henry Oliver says that the government's development policy is enabling "steady, strong growth in the building of new homes" and suggests that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

In a submission to the government, CPRE is advising the government to retain its 'brownfield first' planning policy, arguing that a big increase in greenfield house building could lead to dispersed, unsustainable patterns of development.

Mr Oliver also says that the government must focus on creating subsidised homes for those who cannot afford to rent or buy at current market prices.

"Output of affordable homes has only just started to recover from the lowest levels in half a century," he said.