The number of homes built in Shropshire last year was down by nearly a quarter last year compared to 2010, a council report revealed today.

Between 800 and 900 homes were built in Shropshire last year, but this was 24 per cent down on the previous year, according to council officials.

The figures were revealed by Shropshire Councillor Malcolm Price at a meeting of the council’s enterprise and growth scrutiny committee.

Councillor Price said: “There has been a 24 per cent drop in builds this year.

“However this is significantly better than many other areas, due to flexibility in planning policy.”

During the meeting members said the council needed to make it easier for developers to build throughout Shropshire.

Councillor Price said although action had been taken to encourage developments there had still been a significant reduction in housing builds.

Today, councillor Alan Mosley for Castlefields and Ditherington said the news was a ‘body blow’ for people on a waiting list for new homes.

He said: “Clearly this is a body blow for all those people seeking a home of their own.

“It will clearly add to the depression being felt by families who need a new home.

“The waiting list for affordable homes is growing and growing from people who want their first home or want to move out of inadequate housing.”

During the meeting Councillor Price said there was a possibility that the requirement for developers to provide 13 per cent affordable housing in new developments might need to be changed.

But Councillor Mosley said the amount of affordable homes required by developers had already decreased.

He said: “The 13 per cent is already a substantial reduction on the original target which was for 30 per cent.”

In December a report by the National Housing Federation claimed the housing market in Shropshire was ‘broken’ with first time buyers and middle income families unable to afford a new home.

The report revealed that in Shropshire, the average home costs £208,309 – 10.2 times the average individual income of £20,374, with even homes in the lowest bracket costing around £130,000.