New report exposes housing affordability crisis in the South West
See all news![Exterior of houses painted in different colours in Hotwells Bristol](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/south-west-housing-affordability-crisis-760x443.jpg?la=en&h=443&w=760&mw=847&hash=0C0F4957D01BF90EFADF6A4851B9E23E)
A new report commissioned by Homes for the South West (H4SW) from UWE Bristol reveals plummeting levels of affordability for homes across the South West, with the area subject to higher than average property prices and lower than average incomes.
The research provides the most detailed data ever produced on the South West’s housing affordability – highlighting that most local authority areas in the South West are significantly less affordable than the rest of England as a whole.
House prices in the South West have risen nearly fourfold - while median wages have only risen by 83% – in the past 25 years, and in some areas, such as Bristol, the increase in house prices surpassed 500%. Some parts of the South West are now seeing median house prices of 28 times median earnings.
In every local authority area in the region, house prices have increased by at least 300% since 1997. Crucially, the significant decline in affordability across all local authority areas suggests that local planning authorities have vastly underestimated the proportion of housing that should be affordable in their area to meet local need.
Councils across the South West typically target 30-40% of homes in new residential developments to be affordable housing. This research suggests that this number should, across the median South West housing authority, be closer to 60% to meet the pressures on local incomes.
The research also highlights that every part of the South West has experienced a significant backlog in the delivery of new homes - this backlog currently sits at an estimated 200,000 homes across the region.
The report shows that in order to clear the backlog, and meet future need at the same time, the South West would have to build 70,000 new homes each year for the next five years, with 60% of those homes being affordable.
The report goes on to explain that the affordability crisis in the South West is driven by four key factors particular to the region:
- Land supply – a higher demand for housing than there is a supply of land to build on;
- Higher-than-average property prices contrasted against lower-than-average earnings;
- The Government’s Right to Buy programme reducing the amount of affordable housing available;
- People moving to the South West from other parts of the country as well as the numbers of holiday lets and second homes.
In addition to these factors, the under-resourcing of local authority planning departments has also been identified as a significant issue.
Victor da Cunha, Chief Executive of local housing association Curo and Chair of Homes for the South West, said: “This report makes it clear that the housing crisis in South-West England is reaching a breaking point. Years of undersupply have increased house prices and private rents beyond the reach of many and pushed up over-crowding, sofa-surfing, homelessness and council waiting lists.
“The lack of affordable housing in South West England is having a detrimental impact on the regional economy, as essential workers, such as doctors and nurses, are struggling to find suitable housing at levels they can afford. This not only affects the quality of life for these workers but also the provision of essential services for the wider community.
“As we approach local elections, we would like to see all parties set out their vision for housing. In particular, we think it essential that local authorities revisit their planning guidance to increase the proportion of affordable homes built, and call on the Government to enshrine the 5-year land supply in housing targets - especially considering the suggestion of relaxing these in the recent NPPF consultation.”
Danielle Sinnett, Professor in Sustainable Built Environments at UWE Bristol, produced the report with university colleagues Zaky Fouad, Hannah Hickman, Katie McClymont, Stephen Hall and Cat Loveday, who are all members of UWE Bristol’s Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments. They worked in collaboration with Professor Jessica Lamond, Co-Director of the Centre for Architecture and the Built Environment.
Professor Sinnett, who led the research, says: “We were delighted to collaborate with Homes for the South West on this important piece of research, which highlights the extent of the housing affordability crisis in our region. We found that despite a desire from housing associations and local authorities to deliver genuinely affordable high quality housing, the attractiveness of the region, high land values and under resourced planning departments are significant barriers to delivery.”
The full report is available at https://homesforthesouthwest.co.uk/home/affordability-report/.
Related news
![A woman wearing a graduation cap and gown smiles looking directly at the camera](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/bishop-viv-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=739ADCB89DF924A20454FCE58CC0E76D)
23 July 2024
First female Bishop of Bristol awarded Honorary Degree by UWE Bristol
The Rt Revd Vivienne Faull has been awarded an Honorary Degree by UWE Bristol in recognition of her pioneering work promoting roles for women within the church.
![Robert Channon, wearing a black cap and red graduation ceremony robes](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/robert_channon_410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=1E20FAE3501C90E3B5FA974FC2CF43CC)
18 July 2024
Pioneer who improved lives of people with diabetes awarded honorary degree
An inventor who vastly improved the lives of people with Type 1 diabetes with a series of innovations has been awarded an honorary degree by UWE Bristol.
![Head and shoulders image of Louise Mitchell wearing a black cap and red graduation ceremony robes](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/louise_mitchell_410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=1C4A93B3D738429FBFC3F839EF0C85AF)
17 July 2024
Chief executive of charity that runs Bristol Beacon receives honorary degree
The chief executive of the charity set up to manage Bristol Beacon, the renowned music venue in the city, has been awarded an honorary degree by UWE Bristol.
![Professor Sir Steve West (left) with Clare Reddington (right), wearing black caps and red gowns at a graduation ceremony](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/clare-reddington-hon-grad-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=CEB303EE9B7D969CC6424B4DE45FB550)
16 July 2024
Watershed chief executive recognised with honorary doctorate from UWE Bristol
The chief executive of one of Bristol’s leading cultural organisations has been awarded an honorary doctorate.
![General view of the Purdown View student accommodation at Frenchay campus, with greenery and landscaping in the foreground](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/purdown-view-410x230.jpg?h=1080&w=1920&la=en&hash=AB2313D7EB740CCAC8EA2D3A15E2ED51)
11 July 2024
UWE Bristol completes largest low carbon student accommodation development in UK
New student accommodation at UWE Bristol which is the largest low carbon development of its kind in the UK has been completed.
![Photo shows a lady smiling in front of a rack of clothes she's made](/-/media/uwe/images/news/podcast-ach-tetyana-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=EBE1EEF47917F1EE072973B2EAE95501)
08 July 2024
UWE Bristol students share powerful refugee and migrant stories
A new podcast ‘Wisdom from the Global Majority’ tells the stories of both migrants and refugees in Bristol through their own words.
![A photographer using an old-fashioned camera to take an photo of Stonehenge, with a backdrop of a blue sky](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/stonehenge-photography-main-image-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=82D3AA342D3552BF0055E5180A7BFE8E)
22 May 2024
Academic retraces footsteps of Victorian photography pioneer behind Led Zeppelin album cover
A UWE Bristol researcher has used old-fashioned photography methods to recreate images by a Victorian photographer noted for taking an iconic photo that became a Led Zeppelin album cover.
![UWE Bristol international student Sadock John, photographed at Frenchay campus in front of a yellow UWE sign](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/sadock-john-uwe-sign-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=B163C3325F2F42B2341B100B26B6ACE7)
14 May 2024
Meet the international student making a difference in Bristol and Tanzania
A student at UWE Bristol is playing a starring role in a campaign to highlight the important contribution international students are making to the UK and its communities.
![Students Carla Mabb and Kian Swainston, with arts programme manager Donna Baber stand in front of the photography exhibition at the Brunel building](/-/media/uwe/images/news/southmead-photography-students-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=8F7C033B6A1B622CA31C8349566952C4)
10 May 2024
UWE Bristol student photos showcase 10 years of the Brunel building
Striking images have been captured by student photographers for an exhibition marking 10 years since the Brunel building at Southmead Hospital opened.
![A billboard in St Werbughs in Bristol shows children's illustrations and the words if racism vanished for day I'd wear my hair like this](/-/media/uwe/images/news/billboard-racism-vanished-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=AEF138B778B4ABA3532A6C5D2630EE94)
26 April 2024
New billboard to encourage conversations about what life might be like without racism
The billboard displays an illustration from the book ‘If Racism Vanished for a Day’, which explores the impact of racism on children's wellbeing.
![Artist Mr Doodle drawing with a pen while sat on the floor, with the floor and wall covered in black doodle art on a white background](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/mr-doodle-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=DE7AB621C29B08887024970908FDC435)
22 April 2024
UWE Bristol graduate Mr Doodle set to stage first museum exhibition
A former UWE Bristol illustration student is preparing to present his first ever UK museum exhibition.
![Representatives of nine regional institutions sign up to the new OurCity2030 partnership to combat inequality in Bristol](/-/media/uwe/images/news/uwe-supports-ourcity2030-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=F52F742EE0F22B8CEEF84BBC3B92D8B4)
05 April 2024
University joins new partnership to combat inequality
UWE Bristol has signed up to a ground-breaking agreement to address inequality and deprivation for Bristol’s low-income communities.