GMB study shows number of new homes well below growth in population in Dorset and Wiltshire

9 February 2017 Download as PDF

The number of new homes built is well below the growth in population in 7 areas in Dorset and Wiltshire GMB study shows, in response to government housing white paper.

The White Paper recognises that building more homes for rent is essential and there is no way that the targets can be met unless councils are allowed to build homes for rent says GMB Southern

Across Dorset and Wiltshire the number of new homes built in the last six years is only 77.2% of the number of new households formed in the same period. Overall there are 7 areas in the region where the number of new homes ranges from 44.6% to 92.4% of the number of new households formed in the areas during this period. [See notes to editors for copy of the press release from DCLG]

In Bournemouth, households have been increasing by an average of 1,383 per year since 2010 and over the same period the net additional dwellings have increased by 617 per year. The increase in the number of dwellings is 44.6% of the increase in households, showing the biggest housing gap in the area.

The next 5 are Poole with 47.2%, East Dorset with 70.6%, North Dorset with 75.3%, Swindon with 81.7% and Christchurch with 83.4%. Of the 10 areas, only 3 are creating enough additional dwellings to meet demand from increase in households.
The 3 areas with additional dwellings higher than household growth are Weymouth and Portland, Purbeck and West Dorset.

In England as a whole, households have been increasing by an average of 218,316 per year since 2010 and over the same period the net additional dwellings have increased by 148,993 per year. The increase in the number of dwellings is 68.2% of the increase in households.

The table attached has the figures for all 10 districts and unitary authorities in Dorset and Wiltshire. See notes to editors for sources and definitions.

Paul Maloney, GMB Southern region secretary, said
“The White Paper recognises that building more homes for rent is an essential part of the solution to the shortage of housing.
“It is essential that Government recognises that, like in 1907, local councils should be given powers to build homes for rent. This power stood until Mrs Thatcher took it away in the 1980s. There is no way that the targets can be met unless councils do build housing for rent at affordable rents.
“The policy Mrs Thatcher put in place instead has been extremely costly and has not delivered the number of new affordable homes required. Housing benefit paid to private landlords has soared and the total annual costs of this costly policy are now £24 billion of taxpayers’ money.
“Government should not back down on the requirements that developers must start building on any sites 24 months after planning permission is granted.”
End
Contact: Paul Maloney on 07801 343839 or Michelle Gordon on 07866 369259
Notes to editors
1) Source: Housing and Planning Analysis Division, Department for Communities and Local Government, Crown copyright.
Table 122: Housing Supply; net additional dwellings, by local authority district
Table 406: Household projections by district
2) Definitions:
Net additions measure the absolute increase in stock between one year and the next, including other losses and gains (such as conversions, changes of use and demolitions)
Household: one person living alone, or a group of people (not necessarily related) living at the same address with common housekeeping – that is, sharing either a living room or sitting room or at least one meal a day.
Dwelling: a self-contained unit of accommodation. Self-containment is where all the rooms (including kitchen, bathroom and toilet) in a household’s accommodation are behind a single door which only that household can use.
3) Housing White Paper Press statement: 7 February 2017
www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-ambitious-plan-to-build-the-homes-britain-needs
The government has introduced bold new plans to fix the broken housing market and build more homes across England.
The government has today (7 February 2017) introduced bold new plans to fix the broken housing market and build more homes across England.
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid says the current system isn’t working and is one of the greatest barriers to progress in Britain today.
The reforms in a white paper published today sets out new measures to ensure the housing market works for everyone, including people on lower incomes, renters, disabled and older people by:
Getting the right homes built in the right places
Speeding up house building
Diversifying the market
Further measures in the housing white paper ‘Fixing our broken housing market’ include:
Homeowners
Affordable Rent and Rent to Buy
Renters
Green belt
Empty homes
Leasehold