Wiltshire Council far exceeded its home-building target set by the Government last year, figures reveal.

Wiltshire Council built almost 35 per cent more homes than was required in 2018-19, according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

According to the annual Housing Delivery Test, Wiltshire Council delivered 2,741 homes, from a target of 2,034.

The figures also show that the council has met these requirements every year since 2016-17.

Housing charity Shelter criticised the government for setting 'unachievable housebuilding targets on over-stretched councils'..

Wiltshire was one of less than 60 per cent of councils in England to hit target, leaving almost 36,000 home unbuilt nationwide.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Slapping unachievable housebuilding targets on over-stretched councils and then penalising them when they can’t fulfil them is not the answer to ending the housing emergency.”