House building numbers published

A report on the number of additional homes provided in the City last year has been published. There has been no public consideration of the figures

There were 560 net completions in 2019/20

In addition, the report reveals that there were a total of 3,466 housing planning consents given. This is by far the largest single year number of permissions recorded in the last 10 years. However the total depends heavily on the approval of 2500 homes at the York central site

It is estimated that around 550 additional homes are required each year to meet internally generated demand (Excess of births over deaths in the City plus a continuing drift towards smaller households).

Higher Local Plan figures rest on attracting more inward migrants to the City which in turn is driven by the job numbers generated by high economic growth forecasts.

These forecasts were pre COVID and are unlikely to become a reality in the near future.

Nevertheless, the City now does have sufficient planning permission identified to take the pressure off development greenfield land.

NB. There will always be around 100 “windfall” approvals for small housing sites each year which need to be added to the completion numbers.

Record number of new homes built in York last year

Student units account for 52% of 1121 total

Housing compl,etions 2006 to 2016

2015/16 saw the largest number of new homes provided in York since 2006.  1121 units were provided of which 908 were new build, 218 a “change of use” with one conversion. Six homes were demolished.

 579 dwellings for students were provide mainly on sites in Lawrence Street and Walmgate.

Figures released by the York Council suggest that a significant part of the surge in provision (over 100 units) resulted from a legal relaxation which makes it easier to convert offices into residential accommodation. The change, allowing for the office to residential conversions (together with certain retail, financial services and existing agricultural buildings) without the need to apply for full planning permission, has now become permanent.

 Significant numbers of new homes were provided at:

  • Derwenthorpe, Osbaldwick (Phases II, III & IV) provided a total of 100 completions,
  • Sessions Former Print Works (18)
  • the Former Civic Amenity Site Beckfield Lane (18),
  • Burnholme Social Club (22)
  • Fox and Hounds 39 Top Lane Copmanthorpe (28) and
  • the first homes at the Windy Ridge/Brecks Lane Huntington Site (24)

The figures will strengthen the case for including a significant allowance for homes provided on windfall sites in any Local Plan calculations. Of the completions last year, over 100 (20% of non-student developments) were built on small sites that could not be separately identified in a Local Plan.  Housing planning consents 2006 to 2016

Planning permission for 680 additional homes was granted during the year.  

Of these 166 were for off campus student accommodation. Many of the others were for office to residential consents, the largest (58) being on the Land Registry site on James Street

The average annual number of planning consents over the last decade is 785.

This is broadly in line with the assumptions being made in the latest version of the Local Plan.