More new home builds desperately needed

According to the National Housing Federation (NHF), new home developers are on course to build just 122,700 new homes between April 2009 and March 2010 – down 18,000 compared to the previous financial year.

Excluding the war years, that’s the the lowest total since 1923/4, when only 86,000 new homes were constructed.

A spokesman for the NHF said that the construction of new homes has only been boosted by housing associations, which are expected to build just over half of all the new homes scheduled for construction in England by April.

The lack of new home builds coming onto the market leaves little hope for the 4.6 million people on housing waiting lists, seeking an affordable home.

“This will be the highest total achieved by the affordable housing sector for a decade,” said the spokesman. “A record number of people are stuck on housing waiting lists and rising unemployment and repossessions has further fuelled demand for affordable housing during the economic downturn.

“But supply has failed to keep pace with demand and the prospects of getting an affordable home are looking bleaker than ever for millions of Britons.”

Federation chief executive David Orr said: “With record housing waiting lists and overcrowding reaching epidemic proportions in many places across the country, the need for more affordable housing has never been greater.”