The group Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) have claimed that brownfield land registers are failing to record small plots of land that could be used to deliver an extra 188,734 homes across the country.
CPRE stated that access to land registry data and a more proactive process could help to build homes without "wasting precious countryside".
In the Autumn budget Chancellor Phillip Hammond announced that 20% of new homes were to be built on small sites so that brownfield land is efficiently used.
Local authorities had until 31 December 2017 to produce an up-to-date register of brownfield sites that are both available and suitable for development.
CPRE undertook an initial audit of already submitted brownfield registers, this suggested that less than 4% of current registered brownfield land is on small sites of up to 10 homes.
The campaign group believe that the Government should amend brownfield policy and guidance so it encourages the identification of the full range of appropriate brownfield sites for housing to meet the 20% target.
Rebecca Pullinger, planning campaigner at the CPRE, commented: "Up and down the country tens of thousands of small brownfield sites are not included in brownfield land registers and their housing development potential is missed. The current system of collecting this data must be improved if we are to unlock the potential of brownfield, and stop developers finding an excuse to build on greenfield areas".
