Government misses annual housebuilding target again

The government fell short of its annual housing target again last year, according to new figures.

There were 234,397 net additional dwellings in England in 2022/23, a similar figure to the previous year.

The 2019 Conservative manifesto promised to build 300,000 homes a year in England by the mid-2020s.

However, the government has said it is on track to meet its target of one million more homes by the end of this Parliament.

The number of net additional dwellings includes new builds, houses being converted to flats, or commercial buildings switching to domestic use, as well reflecting demolished homes.

Housebuilding reached a peak in 2019-20, with 248,591 net additional dwellings - the highest figure for any financial year so far this century.

But numbers fell during the pandemic, partly due to Covid restrictions.

Housebuilding is expected to be a key battleground at the next general election, which must be held by January 2025.

Critics of the government-set targets had argued they undermined powers of local councils to decide where building takes place.

But others have raised concerns the changes will lead to fewer homes being built.

Leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he would "bulldoze" through planning rules to build 1.5 million homes during the five years of the next Parliament, if his party wins power. This broadly matches the government's annual target of 300,000 new homes.