Speaking in Stevenage today, the Labour leader is expected to argue the move will help first-time buyers and those genuinely committed to building homes.

He is expected to say: “Developers need a bank of land with which to work. But sometimes they, and other landowners, are hoarding it.

“The next Labour government will give councils powers to charge fees or, if necessary, purchase such land, so that developers have an incentive to do what they went into business to do.

“We will back home builders. But we will tell land hoarders with sites that have planning permission that they must use it or lose it.”

Miliband, who previously warned land banking house builders to “use it or lose it”, is to depict the lack of housing as part of a wider cost of living crisis. 

He is also due to outline plans to empower local authorities to build new towns and garden cities, including backing from the Treasury in a Help to Buy-style guarantee.

In a dig at Conservative councils, Miliband is also expected to call for an outside body, The Planning Inspectorate, to be able to intervene if one local authority appears to be blocking another’s ambitions to increase the supply of homes.