The council house is a form of public housing found in Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, sometimes called social housing in modern times. Council houses were built and operated by local councils for the benefit of the local population. As of 2005, approximately 20 per cent of the country's housing stock is owned by local councils or by housing associations. The largest council estate in the country is Becontree, Dagenham, with a population of over 100,000. Building started in the 1920s and took 11 years to finish.