In a speech today, the housing and levelling up secretary Michael Gove set out proposals to prioritise building in inner-city areas where demand is highest and growth is being constrained, rather than “concreting over the countryside”.

The government will also take steps to speed up the planning process by launching a £24 million Planning Skills Delivery Fund to clear backlogs and get the right skills in place and setting up a new “super-squad” team of planners and other experts charged with working across the planning system to unblock major housing developments.

Developers will also be asked to contribute more through fees, to help support a higher quality more efficient planning service.

New flexibilities to convert shops, takeaways and betting shops into homes will help to rejuvenate the high street. Meanwhile, red tape will be cut to enable barn conversions and the repurposing agricultural buildings and disused warehouses.

New freedoms to extend homes, convert lofts and renovate new buildings will help to convert existing properties into new accommodation. A review into the extension of permitted development rights will make it easier for homeowners to build upwards and outwards – with new extensions and loft conversions - whilst ensuring neighbours’ interests are protected.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak said: “Today I can confirm that we will meet our manifesto commitment to build 1 million homes over this Parliament. That’s a beautiful new home for a million individual families in every corner of our country.

“We need to keep going because we want more people to realise the dream of owning their own home.

“We won’t do that by concreting over the countryside – our plan is to build the right homes where there is the most need and where there is local support, in the heart of Britain’s great cities.

“Our reforms today will help make that a reality, by regenerating disused brownfield land, streamlining planning process and helping homeowners to renovate and extend their houses outwards and upwards.”

In efforts to boost community support for housebuilding, Mr Gove will also announce a new body to lead a design revolution and ensure local people have a say in how housing is designed as well as a consultation on reforming local plans, to make them simpler, shorter and more visual, showing clearly what is planned in local areas so communities can engage.

He added: “Most people agree that we need to build more homes – the question is how we go about it.

“Rather than concreting over the countryside, we have set out a plan today to build the right homes in the right places where there is community support – and we’re putting the resources behind it to help make this vision a reality.

“At the heart of this is making sure that we build beautiful and empower communities to have a say in the development in their area.”

Welcoming the proposals, Persimmon CEO Dean Finch said the measures will “accelerate the development of new homes that will help hard-pressed people achieve their dream of affordable home ownership”.

Jack Pringle, chair of the RIBA Board, said: “We are pleased to see today’s announcements which will enable the vital action needed to tackle the housing crisis. Measures to increase planning resource are welcome and critical to build the homes that we need.

“New homes do need to be delivered at pace, and we should aim to deliver quality as well as quantity. We remain committed to working with our partners in government to deliver well-designed, accessible and sustainable homes in the places that need them most.”

Victoria Hills, chief executive at the Royal Town Planning Institute, added: “I believe this investment into the planning system will make a significant contribution to alleviating the pressure placed on England’s planning services. Well-resourced Local Planning Authorities have the power to make a unique contribution to their areas, helping to deliver the affordable homes, public services, and critical infrastructure individuals, families and communities need.”