Theresa May has called Britain's biggest developers to a Downing Street summit this week after pledging to "dedicate" her premiership to fixing the "broken" housing market.

Government sources said the Prime Minister will "lay down a challenge" to the industry to construct more homes, in a "significant intervention" following her promise to get more people onto the housing ladder.

Leading developers and building firms are expected to attend the summit on Tuesday, together with representatives from local authorities and housing associations.

The meeting comes after Mrs May used her conference speech to identify housing as the central domestic issue on which she will focus in the coming months.

Senior figures fear a continuing housing crisis will seriously affect the Conservatives prospects in future elections. In her conference speech Mrs May said that in the last four decades "we simply haven't built enough homes".

"As a result, prices have risen so much that the average home now costs almost eight times average earnings. And that’s been a disaster for young people in particular."