The government said more than 8,000 homes can be built following its decision to spend £142m on infrastructure projects in England.

New roads and a programme of bridge widening will enable 8,500 homes to be built in Woking, Surrey, and Truro in Cornwall.

Housing Minister Kit Malthouse said the spending, under the £5.5bn Housing Infrastructure Fund, was part of the government’s drive to deliver 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s.