Figure 1: Historic Housing Completions
Figure 1 indicates that when adding a linear trend line for the period 2011/12 to 2020/21 housing completions in York have shown a steady increase. Significant completion levels were experienced over the three year period 2015/16 to 2017/18 when a net total of 3,394 homes were added to the housing stock. Most recent completions in 2020/21 have seen an increase compared to the previous two monitoring years.
It should be noted that a number of homes resulting from development of communal establishments will be add to these figures when confirmed in our HFR return later in the year. Under reporting of completions totals 599 homes in 2016/17.
Figure 2: Historic Housing Completions by Type
Figure 2 reveals that of the 6,680 net completions 4,943 (74%) were new build, whilst 1,636 (24.5%) resulted from change of use, xx housing completions via ‘prior approval’ have contributed to the net change of use figures.
Figure 3: Development on Previously Developed Land
Figure 3 shows the over the previous 10 year period an average of 81.2% of all gross housing completions have taken place on brownfield land. The linear trend line reveals that this level has been a relative constant over this time. As large greenfield sites have been identified as draft allocations in the Local Plan, if/when these become adopted sites the proportion of development on Greenfield sites is likely to increase over future years.
Figure 4: Historic Housing Consents
An increased trend in housing consents can be seen in Figure 4 that highlights a significant 3,466 net additional homes approved in 2019/20, whilst 1,133 net homes were approved last year (2020/21) and represents the fourth consecutive year of more than 1,100 net approvals.
Our analysis of historic consents suggests that around 10% of all consents will not be implemented. Due to 86.6% of all commitments being on brownfield sites that tend to require remediation and potential infrastructure delays this indicates a phased future housing supply rather than an immediate increase to housing completions.
Figure 5: Net Unimplemented Consents each 1st April.
Figure 5 indicates the level of net unimplemented consents on 1st April each year for the past 10 years. The linear trend line shows that there has been a general increase in housing commitments (consented and extant applications[HS1] ) over the monitoring period. At 1st April 2021 a total of 7,811 net additional homes had gained approval and should indicate a healthy level of consents to be confident of sustained housing growth in future years. However, new working practices and the economic realities of Brexit and Covid-19 may well suppress this optimism and the future monitoring of housing commitments and delivery will help to determine the impact the pandemic has on the house development industry in future years.
Housing Completions 2020/21
Figure 6: Net Housing Completions by Type in 2020/21
Net housing completions in 2020/21 are separated into the various types in Figure 6, above. Of the 622 net completions 74.4% were new build, whilst 23.3% were through changes of use. For a full breakdown of both completions and consents please view our 2020/21 housing update via the link below:
Figure 7: 2020/21 Net Housing Completions Split into Site Capacity and by Brownfield/Greenfield Land
Figure 7 shows that 81.4% of net housing completions in 2020/21 took place on brownfield land and that 352 (56.6%) new homes on both brownfield and greenfield land took place on sites with a capacity of over 50 new homes.
Figure 8: Location and Type of Completion Carried out in 2020/21
Figure 8 shows that 51% of all net housing completions took place within the city centre and its extensions during 2020/21. A further 19.3% of homes were provided in the urban area, whilst 17.2% were completed in the sub-urban area and 12.5% were in rural or village locations. In each area of the authority new build properties formed the largest proportion of all net additional completions.
Figure 9: Net Housing Approvals in 2020/21
In 2020/21 a net total of 1,133 new homes were approved, the largest proportion of which was for new build properties (93.4%). Notable housing schemes approved during the monitoring year were through draft housing allocation H1a & b: Former Gas Works, Heworth Green (607), the Castle Mills Car Park site in Piccadilly (106) and Vacant Land on Eboracum Way (62) whilst 233 student cluster flats were approved at Frederick House, Fulford Road all of which were new build schemes.
Figure 10: Net Housing Consents Granted in 2019/20 Split into Brownfield and Greenfield Sites
Figure 10 shows that 98% of all approvals granted in 2019/20 were on brownfield sites and of this total almost 90.3% were on sites with a capacity of over 50 new homes. Approvals on greenfield sites accounted for 2% of all consents with all 22 net approvals being granted on small sites of less than 10 homes.
Figure 11: Location and Type of Home Consented in 2020/21
As shown by Figure 11, by far the largest contributor to the overall consented homes was new build schemes approved in the city centre and its extensions. The 814 net homes approved in this location made up almost 72% of all net approvals granted in the authority area. New homes planned at The Former Gas Works, Heworth Green (607), the Castle Mills Car Park site in Piccadilly (106) making up the largest part of this total.
Figure 12: Location and Capacity of Sites Granted Approval in 2020/21
Figure 12 provides further confirmation that sites with a capacity of more than 50 new homes made up the greatest number of net homes approved in the authority area and this was reflected in both the City Centre and Urban locations. However, approvals on small sites of less than 10 homes in both sub-urban and rural/village locations made up almost all of the consented development.
Housing Commitments at 1st April 2021
Figure 13: Housing Commitments on Brownfield and Greenfield Sites at 1st April 2021
As shown in Figure 13, almost 87% of all net unimplemented housing consents at 1st April 2021 were on brownfield sites. City of York Council are committed a policy of prioritising brownfield sites over greenfield locations where possible and this analysis reflects this principal. In order that our housing requirements are met in future years and as the number of brownfield sites with sufficient capacity to meet our needs will be reduced the greenfield sites identified through the draft allocations process will assist in achieving our housing requirement. When this takes place the proportion of brownfield land in our housing commitments is certain to reduce.
Figure 14: Housing Commitments on Brownfield and Greenfield Land Split by Housing Type
Of the 7,811 net housing commitments at 1st April 2021, 7,168 (91.8%) are for new build housing with 691 net homes (7.7%) planned for schemes involving changes of use.
Figure 15: Housing Commitments on Brownfield and Greenfield Land Split by Site Capacity
At 1st April 2021, of the 7,811 net housing approvals 7,179 (91.9%) were on sites with a capacity of greater than 50 new homes. Whilst this may well achieve the housing requirements for future years, the heavy reliance on a relatively small number of large capacity site does have its associated risks as the unforeseen delays may well affect future supply.
Figure 16: Location and Type of Housing Commitments at 1st April 2021
Figure 16 shows the level of housing commitments throughout the authority area and breaks this down to the type of approval granted at 1st April 2021. New build schemes have the greatest number of approvals in each area of the City. The City Centre and its extensions make up 4,304 (55%) of all commitments.