Increased output for housebuilding still falls short of national requirement12th February 2014

Housebuilding rates are expected to increase in 2014 as the housing market continues to recover strength. However, new research findings by international real estate experts Savills reveal that despite a 55 per cent rise on the 2013 total of 108,000 new homes, this gain is still not enough to meet the target of 240,000 properties required per year to meet demand in England.

Susan Emmett, Savills director of residential research says that the firm's forecast is the best case scenario for the private sector and is reliant on improved finance for SMEs. She is concerned that despite positive assumptions being made, the increase in building from both the private and the public sector will still not be enough to meet the nation's need for more housing.

"Even by increasing output to 107,000 new homes a year, private housebuilders would still be producing far less than the 203,320 they delivered in 1968 when construction peaked. They would also be building less than the 2007 total of 154,210."

Housing associations are increasingly expected to play their part and are due to deliver 26,000 new homes in 2014 and 34,000 in 2015 - up from 22,000 completions in 2013. Savills are expecting housing associations to account for a fifth of total new build delivery by 2018.

Local authorities will also need to up the number of homes they deliver from 1,665 in 2013 to 10,000 in 2018. 

"It is crucial that building numbers continue to grow," said Susan Emmett. "The burden of meeting the country's growing housing need cannot be placed on the private sector alone. Encouraging a greater variety of players to deliver new homes would be a great step forward."