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.