Nowhere near touching distance of the 250,000 homes a year we desperately need says Shelter

Shelter’s response to DCLG housebuilding figures, which show:

 

  • In the last 12 months 153,330 houses were built – an increase of 11% on the previous year
  • 41,180 houses (seasonally adjusted) were started in England in the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of 3% previous quarter.
  • 40,310 houses (seasonally adjusted) were built in England in the second quarter of 2017, an increase of 2% on the previous quarter.
  • 10% fewer homes were built in the last twelve months than a decade ago in the year between July 2006 and June 2007.

Polly Neate, Shelter chief executive, said: “While there has been a small increase in homes being built, sadly we’re nowhere near touching distance of the 250,000 homes a year we desperately need.

“It’s also extremely worrying to see housebuilders shifting down a gear and starting to build even fewer homes, when millions of families are struggling and in urgent need of an affordable home.

“The main reason for this persistent failure is the mammoth cost of land which encourages developers to build at a snail’s pace and keep prices high and ensure they still make big profits.

“The government needs to introduce a new housebuilding system which lowers the cost of land and works with communities, rather than against them, to build the affordable homes families are crying out for.”

Source of information Shelter.

 

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

AI in estate agency letting agency property
Estate Agent Talk

5 Practical Examples: This is How AI is Changing Real Estate

There does not appear to be a single industry that is likely to be immune from the impact of AI. Therefore, it is no surprise to learn that seismic changes are happening in the world of real estate, thanks to the increasing influence of artificial intelligence. From using the technology to identify ways to save…
Read More
Crowded beaches - Clacton-on-Sea in Essex
Breaking News

Overheating moves up the housing agenda

441,000 rental homes fail thermal comfort standards The latest analysis from Inventory Base has found that an estimated 441,000 private rented homes in England failed thermal comfort standards in 2024, accounting for 40.3% of all non-decent private rental properties, as major reforms to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) came into force on…
Read More
Breaking News

Annual house price growth slows in June

The latest Nationwide House Price Index for June 2026 shows that: House prices fell by -0.0% between May 2026 and June 2026. Annual house price growth increased to 2.2% in June 2026, up from 1.7% in May 2026. The average UK house price for June 2026 now stands at £277,484, down slightly from £278,024 in…
Read More
Breaking News

Nationwide House Price Index May 2026

UK annual house price growth picked up to 3.0% in April, from 2.2% in March House prices were up 0.4% month on month Headlines Apr-26 Mar-26 Monthly Index* 554.8 552.7 Monthly Change* 0.4% 0.9% Annual Change 3.0% 2.2% Average Price (not seasonally adjusted) £278,880 £277,186 * Seasonally adjusted figure (note that monthly % changes are…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 30/6/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   8% of commercial real estate investors and owners have started AI pilots – the reasons why most fail Only 5% of CRE operators achieve most of their AI program goals According to JLL’s 2025 Global Real Estate Technology Survey of more than 1,500 senior…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

What the average asking price buys across Great Britain

New analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove reveals what buyers can get for the current average asking price of a home, at approximately £378,000 The analysis shows that in some areas, buyers can find five-bedroom homes for around the national average asking price, whereas in other areas it is only a flat or studio that buyers can afford There are clear…
Read More