The supply of housing increased only marginally in 2020/21, despited repeated government pledges to build more homes.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show the annual housing supply in England increased over the past year, with 216,490 net additional dwellings. However, this is 11 per cent down on the number of new dwellings created in 2019/20.

Of these new dwellings a total of 194,060 were from new build homes. A total of 23,790 were gained from a change of use between non-domestic and residential, and 3,870 were from houses being converted into flats. There were a further 530 gains, from caravans and house boats being registered as dwelling, but this was offset by the demolition 5,760 properties registered as residential dwellings. 

The ONS figures showed that 10,603 of these net additions from change of use were achieved through ‘permitted development rights’ where full planning permission was not required. This included almost 9,000 dwellings which were converted from offices, 835 from agricultural building and 167 from storage buildings and 61 from light industrial units.

Commeting on this latest data, Harmony Financial Services director Imran Hussain says: “Not enough houses are being built, full stop. The lack of new homes under construction is a failure of countless governments. Even when new properties are being built we are not building enough affordable homes, which create liquidity all the way up through the property market.”

Bath-based mortgage broker Lansdown Financial Services director Doug Miller adds: “The lack of housing supply has been an issue for decades, and while the government has offered help to both developers and buyers, its attempt to fix the issue borders on the pathetic. 

“The simple economic principle of supply and demand should not be beyond the academic intelligence of our country’s leaders, and until they put measures and greater incentives in place for developers, the deficit of new homes will only increase.”