Coun Simon Renwick claimed stamp duty on an "average detached home" in the Fylde was now £8,744.

He said: "Gordon Brown has hiked taxes on family homes across the Fylde year on year. Labour have increased the burden of stamp duty by stealth, punishing people who have invested in and improved their homes. I fear even more stealth taxes are on the way in the form of new bedroom taxes to extend your home and a sinister, intrusive council tax revaluation.

"At a time when the housing market is so fragile, we need practical measures to help people move home – such as abolishing the red tape of Home Information Packs and cutting stamp duty for first-time buyers who are suffering the most."

Coun Renwick based his comments on new analysis of official Government data which had has revealed the average detached home in England paid just £1,170 in stamp duty in 1997.

He claimed high rates of stamp duty were discouraging many families from moving. Yet they now faced the prospect of new stealth taxes if they stayed and built an extension, added the councillor.