Housing Numbers

The previous Government set housing targets in the Regional Plan of some 21,500 new houses per year (including Northamptonshire) to be built between 2006-2026.  This compares to an average of 18,966 houses per year built in the region between 2001-2008 (at the peak of the housing market).

The new Government has revoked the Regional Plan largely due to the unpopularity of centrally imposed housing numbers. The Government intends Local Planning authorities to be responsible for establishing the right level of local housing provision in their area. Some guidance to local authorities is contained in a letter on Revocation of Regional Strategies. A "Localism Bill" is expected to be introduced in the current Parliamentary session which will set out the Government proposals for housing provision in more detail.

CPRE accepts that there is a need to build more houses, to accommodate a growing population and falling household sizes. However, we consider the 20-year housing target for the East Midlands proposed by the previous Government to be an over-provision and unsustainable.  See CPRE's press release, 6 July 2010, welcoming the scrapping of housing targets but urging the need for some form of strategic planning.

Instead of more market homes, i.e. those bought and sold on the open market, CPRE believes there is a real need for more affordable homes (social rented homes and intermediate homes for key workers etc) in certain locations.

CPRE believes we need to put much more emphasis into building the affordable houses we need rather than simply allocating large targets across the region.

The previous Government's housing figures were projections, based on past trends, which may or may not materialise. The growth in the number of households depends on a wide range of economic, social and demographic factors which cannot be accurately predicted over a fifteen to twenty year period. See CPRE's critique of the Government's household projections Housing the Future, December 2009.

CPRE believe it is sensible to plan for new dwellings we know we will need rather than ones we might need.

See downloads below for CPRE East Midlands commissioned report, Assessment of House Building Projections for the East Midlands Region, by housing statistician Stephen Custance Baker. This analysis raises many questions about the validity of government's projected housing figures for the region.  Also CPRE's response to the Partial Review Options Consultation, Oct 2009, which calls into further question the Government's household projections.

CPRE considers that we should be adopting an approach of plan, monitor and manage rather than simply allocating large targets across the region.


CPRE 2010

Downloads:
Assessment of House Building Projections for EM
 (1,221 Kb)