SANDWELL is failing to hit government targets when it comes to house building, analysis by the BBC has revealed.

The BBC’s Shared Data Unit has compared government targets for each local authority area in the UK with the number of homes being built on average each year in those areas – and Sandwell is only half way towards meeting its target, an investigation has shown.

According to the figures – the government’s assessment of the number of new homes needed in the Sandwell area was 1,432 but analysis by the BBC has revealed that just 730 homes, on average, have been built or created through property conversions each year over the last ten years.

The investigation also shows new home creation in Sandwell has not recovered to pre-crash levels.

Local housing chiefs estimate between 1,357 to 1,450 new homes per year are needed to meet the demand but the area is 49 per cent off its target.

Councillor Steve Eling, Sandwell Council leader, said: “In 2006 we set an ambition to get just under 21,500 homes built in Sandwell by 2026 – an aim which is set out in the Black Country Core Strategy.

“With almost a decade to go, and against the difficulties of the economic crash, good progress is being made.

“Sandwell has already seen more than 8,000 new homes built since then – the highest of any of the Black Country boroughs.

“We have plans in place, sufficient land and sites identified to meet Sandwell’s 2026 ambition.

“Of course it’s developers, not the council, building the vast majority of these new homes.

“Whilst new house building in Sandwell is progressing, the area, like most others, has been impacted by the national housing market crisis. This still desperately needs to be fixed at the national level.”

In Sandwell – 10 per cent of land is green belt, considered a heritage site or otherwise protected or restricted from development.