Homebuilding on previously developed land has hit a new record high of 72 per cent, new figures from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister reveal.
The proportion of new homes built on brownfield sites has reached an all-time record level of 72%- up from 56% in 1997, and up a further 2% on the previous count. Meanwhile, the average density of new homes remains at 40dph (dwellings per hectare), up from 25dph in 1997.
The new statistics are based on changes in land use recorded for the ODPM by Ordnance Survey during their map revision work.
Welcoming the news, Minister for Planning and Housing, Yvette Cooper, said:
“We are building more new homes on brownfield sites than ever before. For decades, this country has built too few homes, with the result that too many people on moderate incomes are being priced out of the housing market.
“Today’s statistics show it is possible to reverse that trend and build more homes in the right places whilst protecting the environment and providing jobs and public services at the same time. We are committed to making the best use of previously developed land and these latest figures show we are doing exactly that."
