By . Tom Mctague, Mail Online Deputy Political Editor . The dream of building a Grand Designs family home is fading for thousands of Brits - despite Government claims to have sparked a 'self build revolution'. Ministers appointed TV star Kevin McCloud to oversea the revolution, with Tory chairman Grant Shapps boasting that self builds would double under the Coalition. But the prospect of families building their own dream home has collapsed since the last election, official figures reveal. Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud was supposed to oversea a revolution in self builds in Britain, but instead the number of families building their own home has slumped dramatically . The number of self-build houses built has fallen by 22% since David Cameron became Prime Minister. In 2010 10,588 homes were self built, according to Treasury calculations. By last year this had slumped to just 8,235, according to the figures released in a Parliamentary Answer to Labour's shadow communities secretary Hilary Benn. Self build homes, like this one in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, were a popular choice for families when the Coalition came to power . Shadow communities secretary Hilary Benn said the Government's pledge to kick start a revolution in self builds was in tatters . Mr Benn told MailOnline: 'Despite the popularity of shows like Grand Designs, and the unending flow of optimistic press releases from DCLG about a purported "self-build revolution" the truth is laid bare in these damning HMRC statistics. 'The number of people claiming VAT relief on their self-build homes, DCLG’s own proxy measure for the number of homes completed, far from doubling has actually fallen by a fifth. 'At a time where young people and families are crowded into insecure and expensive rental properties, this Government is doing too little to help them realise their dreams of home ownership, and isn’t doing enough to support self-builders. 'One Nation Labour is committed to building the homes we need and Ed Miliband has made it clear he expects us to reach our goal of getting 200,000 homes built a year by the end of the next Parliament, and we want self-build to make an important contribution.' But Housing Minister Kris Hopkins . defended the Coalition's record. He said: 'When in Government, Labour . did absolutely nothing to support self-build and presided over a massive . housing crash and reduction in mortgage lending which hit all housing . sectors, including self-build. 'This . Government’s long-term economic plan has turned the housing market . around, and we are the first Government ever to actively promote . self-build as an option to those on all incomes.' The self-build 'revolution' was launched in 2011 by then housing minister, now Chairman of the Conservative Party, Grant Shapps. He claimed that government policies would see the size of the self-build market double. In May 2012 Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud was appointed as the Government self-build tsar, leading a delegation of industry figures and reporters to the Netherlands to learn from their success. And then in October last year, the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: 'We’re taking practical steps which will unlock the potential and will turn our country, which is famously a nation of shopkeepers, into a nation of self-builders too.'
Tories pledged to double number of self build homes to tackle housing crisis .
Presenter Kevin McCloud was appointed as the Government's self-build tsar .
But number of families perusing Grand Designs dream has slumped by 20% .
By . Tom Mctague, Mail Online Deputy Political Editor . The dream of building a Grand Designs family home is fading for thousands of Brits - despite Government claims to have sparked a 'self build revolution'. Ministers appointed TV star Kevin McCloud to oversea the revolution, with Tory chairman Grant Shapps boasting that self builds would double under the Coalition. But the prospect of families building their own dream home has collapsed since the last election, official figures reveal. Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud was supposed to oversea a revolution in self builds in Britain, but instead the number of families building their own home has slumped dramatically . The number of self-build houses built has fallen by 22% since David Cameron became Prime Minister. In 2010 10,588 homes were self built, according to Treasury calculations. By last year this had slumped to just 8,235, according to the figures released in a Parliamentary Answer to Labour's shadow communities secretary Hilary Benn. Self build homes, like this one in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, were a popular choice for families when the Coalition came to power . Shadow communities secretary Hilary Benn said the Government's pledge to kick start a revolution in self builds was in tatters . Mr Benn told MailOnline: 'Despite the popularity of shows like Grand Designs, and the unending flow of optimistic press releases from DCLG about a purported "self-build revolution" the truth is laid bare in these damning HMRC statistics. 'The number of people claiming VAT relief on their self-build homes, DCLG’s own proxy measure for the number of homes completed, far from doubling has actually fallen by a fifth. 'At a time where young people and families are crowded into insecure and expensive rental properties, this Government is doing too little to help them realise their dreams of home ownership, and isn’t doing enough to support self-builders. 'One Nation Labour is committed to building the homes we need and Ed Miliband has made it clear he expects us to reach our goal of getting 200,000 homes built a year by the end of the next Parliament, and we want self-build to make an important contribution.' But Housing Minister Kris Hopkins . defended the Coalition's record. He said: 'When in Government, Labour . did absolutely nothing to support self-build and presided over a massive . housing crash and reduction in mortgage lending which hit all housing . sectors, including self-build. 'This . Government’s long-term economic plan has turned the housing market . around, and we are the first Government ever to actively promote . self-build as an option to those on all incomes.' The self-build 'revolution' was launched in 2011 by then housing minister, now Chairman of the Conservative Party, Grant Shapps. He claimed that government policies would see the size of the self-build market double. In May 2012 Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud was appointed as the Government self-build tsar, leading a delegation of industry figures and reporters to the Netherlands to learn from their success. And then in October last year, the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: 'We’re taking practical steps which will unlock the potential and will turn our country, which is famously a nation of shopkeepers, into a nation of self-builders too.'
Editor . The dream of building a Grand Designs prospect of families building their own dream has slumped dramatically . The number of 10,588 homes were self built, according to Designs presenter Kevin McCloud was appointed as the Government self-build tsar, leading a