Comment

Testing the delivery of housing: Making sense of the results

Government statistics published on Thursday 15 November confirmed that 222,190 net additional dwellings were completed in the year from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018.

Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England: 2017 to 2018 presents estimates of changes in the size of the dwelling stock in England due to new house building completions, conversions, changes of use, demolitions and other changes to the dwelling stock.

This data is crucial for calculating the Housing Delivery Test, which will come into force when the results are formally published later this month. The test aims to identify those authorities that have not delivered the necessary level of housing and will trigger planning policy consequences.

The release of information also included data in relation to new student and communal accommodation which is also used to adjust the final results. 
 

The results conclude that only one authority, Redbridge, has failed to achieve a delivery rate of 25%. The presumption in favour of sustainable development will therefore apply in that authority. 

Based on these results, 136 authorities have failed to meet the 95% target and are required to publish an Action Plan by May 2019, which must aim to address the causes of under delivery. Of these 136 authorities, 119 are considered to have significantly under delivered (i.e. delivery is below 75%) and are also required to add a 20% buffer to their five year land supply calculation.

If you have any questions relating to the supply of housing in your area please contact Mike O’Brien.

19 November 2018