Official government statistics has shown that more homes have been delivered within the last year than any year since 1987, with a 7th consecutive year of growth. This represents an impressive 243,770 homes delivered from 2019 to 2020.
The statistics also show that an additional 2,130 communal dwellings were added to the housing stock, including more than 1,700 student accommodation units. The government’s ‘change of use’ reforms have positively impacted the sector, making 27,000 new homes available.
More than 1.8 million homes have been delivered across England since 2010, many of which supported by government investment, such as the £3.9 billion allocated through the Housing Infrastructure Fund, a £9 billion Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes programme, along with the government’s Help to Buy schemes.
In June 2020, the Housing Secretary confirmed the extension of planning permissions to ensure work temporarily disrupted by Covid restrictions could continue where possible. A further £20 billion of investment in housing has also been pledged, which is the single biggest investment in new homes in England’s history.
It is anticipated that £12 billion will be invested into affordable housing in the UK over the next five years, which is thought to be the largest investment in affordable housing for a decade. The aim here is to provide up to 180,000 new homes across the UK and unlock a further £38 billion in public and private investment in affordable housing.
These staggering figures signal the UK’s commitment to providing good quality housing stock across the UK. This is also welcome news for private home builders across the sector, where land and building owners can now benefit from more flexible planning procedures to help kick start new projects.
We work with developers and building owners at the early inception stage of a project to help offer insight into the buildability of a scheme. If you are thinking of undertaking a new building scheme, you may benefit from our design and build services. For more information about how we can help, please feel free to contact us.
