More than 660 homes are set to be built in the borough by March next year – with 231 more after that, the council has said.

Between 2010 and 2103, Redbridge reached only 38.8 per cent of the 2,280 target of houses it had been set by the Greater London Assembly.

At Thursday’s full council meeting at Redbridge Town Hall, in Ilford High Road, Cllr Helen Coomb (Labour, Clementswood) said “a number of housing schemes” had been agreed with developers which would lead to 664 new homes being built by March before an additional 231 after that.

She said: “We will pursue these developments and make sure that they are actually met.”

She also admitted not all the homes would be houses.

But Cllr Gwyneth Deakins (Liberal Democrat, Roding) added she would be “grateful” if the cabinet member for planning and regeneration could give more details.

She said: “I find it slightly hard to believe that it is all tickety boo as the cabinet member has suggested.

“I wonder how these agreements will come off because they have been in place a number of years.”

The council has been forced to move people into temporary accommodation as far away as Birmingham to ease the housing shortage.

The result of public consultation into a controversial plan which would see large scale developments in Woodford Green, South Woodford and Wanstead is due to be announced on Wednesday online.

The details will be discussed at a committee meeting June 3, before councillors make a final decision on June 11.

Labour leader Cllr Jas Athwal said: “We will wait for the results of the consultation then we can discuss what to do.”

Two further options, in addition to building in the west of the borough, is developing Oakfield playing fields, in Fencepiece Road, Ilford or areas of greenbelt which have not yet been identified.