Region bucks national trend to show strong growth in house building
The number of new homes built last year in the West Midlands has bucked the national trend to show strong growth.
Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that 10,640 new homes were started in the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) area last year – a seven per cent increase on 2017. Across England, the average increase was zero.
Within the West Midlands, the number of homes started last year went up the most – by 18 per cent – in the Black Country.
Housing completions in the West Midlands increased by 13 per cent to 10,960, compared to the average increase of one per cent in England.
The highest rise in housing completions was in the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) area, where 40 per cent more new homes were finished than in 2017.
The WMCA has committed to delivering 215,000 new homes across the region by 2031.
Gareth Bradford, director of housing and regeneration at the WMCA, said: “Our economic success and new job creation are driving the demand for new housing across the West Midlands.
“These latest statistics show that we and our partners are making good progress. However, this is only the start and there is still much to do.
“We are working with the local authorities in our area to unlock land and accelerate the delivery of new homes and jobs.
“For example, we are introducing a single framework to distribute £610m of funding quickly and efficiently, helping to speed up developments and, ultimately, the regeneration and growth of our cities and towns.”
The housing figures relate to the WMCA’s three LEPs: Black Country (Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton), Coventry and Warwickshire, and Greater Birmingham and Solihull.
