Bolton's target could be more than 1,300 new homes each year

This comes amid long running concerns about housing shortages in the borough and across much of the rest of the country.

In March this year, rents were found to have soared by more than a third in Bolton, while there are also more than 9,000 people on waiting lists for social housing.

Bolton North East MP Kirith Entwistle said: “The bottom line is that we don’t have enough houses, we’ve got huge waiting lists and so now really is the right time for us to get on with delivering the houses that people really need.”

She added: “I think we’ve established the golden rules going into government and that is that its brownfield first and also about using grey field land.

Bolton North East MP Kirith Entwistle says the borough does not have enough homes (Image: Office of Kirith Entwistle MP)

“So it’s not just about house building, its also about making sure that we don’t sacrifice beauty spots and actually make sure that they are protected as well.”

As it stands Bolton has a target to build 787 homes a year until 2037.

After adopting the Places for Everyone scheme earlier this year, Bolton Council says that this means house building plans will emphasise works on brownfield land.

They say that this will mean that no new homes will be built on green belt land.

But proposals set out by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government could see Bolton’s target increased by more than 650 new homes a year.

This comes as part of prosed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and other reforms to the planning system.

Across England the reforms could means that council will need to plan for around 370,000 new homes every year instead of 305,000 as had been previously planned.

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In the North West, this will mean the target moving from 21,497 new home a year to 37,817.

Deputy Prime Minister and secretary of state for housing, communities and local government Angela Rayner said that this would be necessary to tackle the country’s “housing crisis.”

She said: "Our decisive reforms to the planning system correct the errors of the past and set us on our way to tackling the housing crisis, delivering 1.5 million homes for those who really need them."

"And something I am personally proud of, our new flexibilities for councils will boost the number of social and affordable homes and give working families a better route to a secure home."

The consultation will close on September 24.