"These are long-term decisions. This is about how you make it happen," he said.

"For 10 years we have just let it lie there. This is the greatest area for development."

The government also intends to regenerate areas of need in the North - possibly demolishing housing seen as surplus.

'Crazy'

On the programme, Mr Prescott dismissed as "crazy" any suggestion that people should be transported to the North to occupy the empty houses.

"Why shouldn't daughters and sons, who have been brought up in their families in the South East, have a chance to be able to live with their families?

"It's called sustainable communities."

Huge extra investment in the area's transport infrastructure, would ensure the developments were practical, he added.

Environmental groups are fearful that more house building in the south east of England would be detrimental to the environment.

The Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) said it believed the plans for the South East would smother thousands of acres of greenfield sites.

It was opposed to the creation of "dormitory-type" developments.