Annual housing supply in England amounted to 216,490 net additional dwellings in 2020-21, down 11% on 2019-20, according to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The 216,490 net additions in 2020-21 resulted from 194,060 new-build homes, 23,790 changes of use between non-domestic and residential, 3,870 conversions between houses and flats, and 530 other gains (caravans, house boats), offset by 5,760 demolitions.
10,603 of the net additions from change of use were gained through permitted development rights (PDR).
These comprised 8,768 additional dwellings from former offices, 835 from agricultural buildings, 167 from storage buildings, 61 from light industrial buildings and 772 from other non-domestic buildings.
697 of the net additions from new build homes were through PDR and the loss of 25 dwellings from demolitions were through PDR.
Timothy Douglas, policy and campaigns manager at Propertymark, said: “The UK government’s latest figures on net additional dwellings paint a deeply worrying picture as industry data tells us that demand is far outstripping supply in both the sales and lettings markets meaning there could not be a worse time for housing delivery to plummet.
“Despite the steady upwards trajectory of new delivery since 2012-13, the UK government still had some way to go to deliver on their target of 300,000 new homes per year by the mid-2020s. Based on these statistics, it is looking extremely unlikely they will achieve this.
“Due to the impact of the materials shortage for the construction sector, this also highlights real concern for the UK government’s ability to meet its target.
“The COVID-19 pandemic’s legacy will have long lasting effects so the UK government must consider introducing drastic measures to not only deliver the right number of homes, but also the right types in the right places.
“More also needs to be done to bring the astonishing number of empty homes back into use.
“We know from the most recent figures that the total number of empty homes in England is more than double the UK government’s annual housebuilding target.
“Looking ahead, we need to make best use of the stock we have and there must be a balance of new supply across all tenures in line with relative need and demand and affordability has to be a fundamental consideration.”
Available Properties For Sale Per Branch At Lowest Ever
The number of available properties per branch has decreased to 21 in October, the lowest figure on record and 46% lower than October 2020, according to data collected by Propertymark.
Demand has continued to climb, however, as the average number of house hunters registered per estate agent branch stood at 511 in October, a 12% increase from 458 September 2021, and a 13% increase from 451 in October 2020.
The number of sales made to first-time buyers remained steady at 25%, falling slightly from 28% in September, and the number of buy-to-let sales increased from 9% in September to 13% in October.
There is currently an average of 24 buyers per available home on the market.
Activity slowed in October but remained steady, as estate agents reported an average of eight sales agreed per branch, a 32% decrease from 11 in September.
In October, 55% of properties agreed sales at the original asking price.
Despite demand, for the second consecutive month the number of sales being agreed at over asking price has fallen.
Properties agreeing sales at over the asking price has dropped to 21% in October from 27% in September.
Nathan Emerson, chief executive of Propertymark, said: “Figures from October show a continuing picture for the housing market which is unsustainable.
“Estate agents across the country are working with some of the lowest levels of available homes we have ever seen yet demand from buyers is not easing.
“Heading into the festive period should take some of the heat out of the market as we know that usual market trends see a decrease in activity as people turn their attention to Christmas.
“However, with so many buyers still hungry for their new home, sellers would do well not to put moving plans on hold for too long.
“What we need to see in the new year is a gentle levelling out, which could be driven by new year motivations delivering new sellers or changing interest rates taking some of the mounting energy from buyers.”