The Government is set to directly intervene in the plans of two south Essex councils in a push to get more homes built.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid pointed the finger at 15 local authorities across the country, including Basildon and Castle Point, who have yet to publish details of where they plan to allow new homes to be built.

Every authority must draw up a local plan to deliver a quota of housing for their areas to cope with rising housing demand.

Basildon and Castle Point have repeatedly failed to do this and now face Government intervention.

Putting authorities “on notice” and warning that a lack of sufficient progress will “no longer be tolerated” by his department, Mr Javid said they had until the end of January 2018 to put forward their plans for new housing.

Earlier this year, councillors at Castle Point put a draft version of its local plan out to public consultation. It reduced the number of homes proposed over the next 20 years from 4,000 to just 2,000 but drew criticism from neighbouring councils Southend, Basildon and Rochford that there had been a lack of co-operation with them.

A Government planning inspector agreed the authority had not fulfilled its duty to co-operate with its neighbours.

Basildon currently needs to identify areas to build 15,000 homes and says it is working with neighbouring authorities to deliver its quota but has also failed to publish its local plan.

The council said it was “disappointed” with Mr Javid’s statement but confirmed it is to clearly set out to Government its plans for the publication of its local plan and “explain the circumstances that have prevented earlier publication”.

On October 12 the council approved a revised Local Development Scheme that would see the publication of its local plan by March next year.

Coming together in the South Essex 2050 group they have made a joint commitment to effective strategic planning across the region to bring about a ‘step-change in growth and infrastructure delivery’.

A Basildon Council spokesperson said: “We have in place a realistic timetable to deliver a robust Local Plan that is approved by government inspectors.

“The local plan is an incredibly important document that will shape development in this borough for the next 20 years. We have to be sure we have it right.”

The spokesman added: “The plan must achieve a balance between growth on the one hand, while on the other hand protecting the borough against the negative impact of urban sprawl and defending our community spaces.

“We are working very hard to get this done, working closely with our neighbouring authorities, with our businesses and with Department for Communities and Local Government officers. We will have a very strong case to present to the Secretary of State.”

Castle Point Council said it was also disappointed by the minister’s statement.

A spokeswoman said: “The Statement made by Sajid Javid is disappointing although not unexpected. When the letter is received from the Secretary of State by Castle Point Council it will be carefully considered and a response prepared demonstrating that Castle Point Council should not be subject to formal intervention due to lack of a local plan.

The council needs to allow 311 new homes a year. In the year 2016/17, 114 additional homes were delivered in the borough.

The council added it is continuing to work to respond to the Government’s Housing White Paper “in collaboration with neighbouring authorities and acting with their support to deliver the statement of common ground”.

It said the department is aware of this progress.

The council said it is therefore “confident that intervention can be avoided”.

In a written statement Mr Javid said: “I am writing today to give the local authorities the opportunity to put forward any exceptional circumstances, by January 31 2018, which, in their view, justify their failure to produce a local plan under the 2004 Act regime.

“I will take responses received into account before any final decisions on intervention are taken.”