Amount of new properties in city started and completed on the rise

More new houses were started in Portsmouth last year, new figures show.

But across England, the housebuilding sector has seen a slowdown – with an industry body accusing the Government of “putting short-term politics over the needs of the country”.

Steve Turner, executive director at the Home Builders Federation, said: “Despite the acute housing crisis we face, all indicators show further declines in supply ahead – frustrating the housing aspirations of the younger generation and costing thousands of construction workers’ jobs.

“Putting short-term politics over the needs of the country will have longterm consequences for the economy and society, and must be addressed.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “We are on track to meet our commitment to deliver one million homes over this Parliament, and are taking significant steps to increase housing delivery through our long-term plan for housing.

“We’ve invested billions in housing to bring forward land for development, enabling the market to deliver the homes and infrastructure that communities need whilst also supporting local authority planning capacity.”

210

Figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities show building commenced on around 210 homes in Portsmouth in 2023 – up significantly from 20 the year before.

149k

Across England, construction began on 149,000 new homes last year, down from 176,000 in 2022 and 178,000 in 2021.

50

Between last April and June, about 50 new homes were started in Portsmouth.

72,000

Some 72,000 new homes were started nationally between April and June 2023 as developers rushed to beat new environmental regulations.

100

Ground was broken for 100 new homes in Portsmouth from July to December last year.

38,000

Ground was broken for 38,000 new homes nationally in the second half of the year – the smallest number of starts since 2008 – as the April to June spike was undone.

11%

There was an 11% drop in the number of houses completed in 2023, with 158,000 last year.

300k

The Conservatives promised 300,000 new homes a year by the mid-2020s in their 2019 manifesto.

150

Around 150 homes were completed in Portsmouth last year, a rise from 60 the year before.

1m

The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities says it’s on track to meet its commitment to deliver one million homes over this Parliament.