Angela Rayner’s flagship plan to build 1.5 million new homes in England has been dealt a blow as councils warn the goal is “unrealistic”.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wants housebuilding to boost economic growth and address the UK’s housing crisis, with local authorities set ambitious targets for new builds.

A BBC analysis shows 90% of councils are concerned about whether those targets are realistic or likely to be achieved, the broadcaster reports.

Responses to a government consultation obtained by the BBC through Freedom of Information laws show many authorities in England fear an algorithm used to calculate the targets failed to account for pressures on planners, builders, local infrastructure and land.

Labour-led Broxtowe council in Nottinghamshire said the proposed changes were “very challenging, if not impossible to achieve” while South Tyneside, which is also Labour-run, said the plans were “wholly unrealistic”.

The five areas where councils would be required to make the biggest proportional increase in new homes compared with current government targets include Redcar and Cleveland, with a current target of 45 rising to a proposed 642, figures cited by the BBC show.

Burnley’s target rises from 51 to 369; Westmorland and Furness from 227 to 1,430; Hyndburn goes up from 50 to 313 and Cumberland’s targets shoot up from 244 to 1,217.

The analysis shows rural areas shouldering most of the housebuiling burden while parts of London have seen their targets fall.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “This is the worst housing crisis in living memory, and in order to fix this we need to build 1.5 million homes.

“That’s why we have introduced mandatory housing targets for councils and laid out clear plans to support their delivery, including by changing planning rules to allow homes to be built on grey belt land and recruiting 300 additional planning officers.”

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has told MPs the Government wants housebuilding to rise to 370,000 per year.

Minister for Housing, Matthew Pennycook, told MPs last month that the 1.5 million new homes is a target for the whole parliament, rather than an annual 300,000 a year target.

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He admitted that delivery of the 1.5 million homes would be “more difficult” than Labour had expected in opposition, but resisted MPs’ calls to provide a yearly target.

Local Government Association housing spokesperson Adam Hug said: “We share and support the Government’s ambition to build more homes to help tackle the housing crisis this country faces.

“Getting housebuilding targets in the right place is a difficult task and any national algorithms and formulas would strongly benefit from local knowledge and involvement by councils and communities who know their areas best.

“As the elected local representatives with responsibility for local place-shaping, councils have a vital role to play in encouraging and planning for housebuilding, including the building of more homes for social rent and homes which are genuinely affordable.

“With the right powers, skills, resources and funding councils can unlock new opportunities for housebuilding across the country.”