More new homes should be built in the UK, according to Shelter.

The charitable organisation made its comments following the publication of government data which showed that annual housing starts have fallen by 55 per cent since 2005-6.

In addition, annual housing finishes are down by almost a quarter (21 per cent) to stand at just over 122,000 over the last year.

Shelter noted that the last time the number of new houses built on an annual basis dropped below 122,000 was in 1947, when the official number of new properties created stood at 120,860.

Kay Boycott, director of policy and campaigns at Shelter, said: "These figures show we are simply not building enough homes to meet the huge growing need."

People keen to move into a larger home, perhaps as their family grows bigger, but who cannot find the right property, may well find that self storage will allow them to keep possessions such as furniture safe while they continue their search.

Written by Graeme Pieterson