Government housing delivery still well below target, according to latest data
The latest Government data on housing supply and net additional dwellings shows that there have been 241,000 net dwellings delivered, a 9% increase above the 2007/08 peak. However, only 213,000 of these are actual new builds and fall way short of the Government target of 300,000.
Michael Stone, founder and CEO of new homes specialists, Stone Real Estate, commented:
“Whilst the latest net housing supply numbers are to be welcomed as a positive increase on previous periods, scratch the surface a little and you’ll see that we are still an annual 87,000 new homes short of the Government’s own new build target.
An archaic and overly democratic planning system, an overly precious approach to the less desirable parts of our green belt, and a seeming apathy from the Government on solving the issue, all contribute to a net deficit in terms of the housing we actually need as a nation. Isn’t it time for a Housing Tsar with real power and that’s apolitical?”