Subscribe to our Construction Newsfeed
UK Construction Directory
Search our 157,474 companies....

Construction News

21/08/2017

Average New Home In England Will Have To Last 2,000 Years - LGA

Construction News Image
The average new home in England will have to last 2,000 years, aqccording to the Local Government Association (LGA).

The firm which represents 415 local authorities made the announcement due to the "sluggish rate of house building".

The country has not built enough homes for decades. As a result, existing homes must house more people and last for much longer, which has led to the country spending nearly as much on the repair and maintenance of existing homes as it does building new ones.

However analysis revealed that one in 10 new home buyers are dissatisfied with the quality of their new home and one in six would not recommend their house builder to a friend.

The research, carried out for the LGA, also showed most local areas have more homes built before 1930 then from any other period of time, demonstrating the age of much of England’s housing stock.
-- Advertisement --
hss



The LGA is calling on government to help councils build a new generation of high quality, genuinely affordable and additional homes, supported by adequate infrastructure and services. Housebuilders also need to work with councils to ensure new homes are built to a good quality, and will stand the test of time.

With increasing numbers of people in the private rented sector, council leaders are also concerned that 28 per cent of privately rented homes are not decent, an increase of 150,000 homes since 2006. In comparison, council homes are more likely to be better quality, with 85 per cent meeting the decent homes standard, an increase from 70 per cent in 2008.

Cllr Judith Blake, LGA Housing spokesperson, said: "Our country's failure to build enough homes over the past few decades is putting huge pressure on our existing housing stock.

"Families are having to spend more on rent or mortgages every month and deserve a decent home that is affordable. But as costs are rising, so is dissatisfaction with the standards of new homes.

"Everyone deserves an affordable and decent place to live. It’s crucial that all new and existing homes are up to a decent standard.

"Councils need to be able to ensure quality through the planning system, and to encourage high standards in rented and owned properties across the board.

"To spark a desperately-needed renaissance in council housebuilding, councils also need to able to borrow to build new homes and keep all receipts from any homes they sell to reinvest in building new homes that are of a good quality and affordable."

(CD)

Latest Construction News

09/07/2025
Network Space Developments has formally submitted an outline planning application to redevelop the former Cadent Gas Works site on Winwick Road, just north of Warrington town centre. The plans propose up to 100,000 sq ft of high-quality employment space, intended to accommodate a range of industria
09/07/2025
The City of London Corporation has granted planning permission for two major high-rise schemes at opposite ends of the City's historic skyscraper cluster, reinforcing the Square Mile’s reputation as a global business and cultural hub. The approved projects, a 45-storey tower at 63 St Mary's Axe and
09/07/2025
Construction firm Kier has signed a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) with global healthcare company Haleon to deliver a state-of-the-art Oral Health Innovation Hub in Weybridge, Surrey. The landmark project, announced by the UK Government during its International Investment Summit, will p
09/07/2025
One of the UK's largest housebuilders, Persimmon Homes Severn Valley, has submitted detailed proposals for the construction of 562 new homes in Cribbs Causeway, as part of the next phase of its major Fishpool Hill development near Bristol. The latest reserved matters applications cover phase two of
09/07/2025
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) has reached a significant milestone, following five consecutive weekends of intensive engineering work between Leeds and York to advance electrification of the line. As part of the ongoing upgrades, engineers have now installed 7.5 kilometres of overhead line eq
09/07/2025
Plans to transform the Teviot Estate in Poplar have reached a major milestone, with Tower Hamlets Council granting a resolution to approve the £800 million redevelopment at its Strategic Development Committee meeting on Tuesday, 8 July. The Hill Group and housing association Poplar HARCA are leadin
09/07/2025
Wates has joined Stepnell, Morgan Sindall, Kier, and BAM as a Gold Corporate Partner of the Centre for Construction Best Practice (CCBP), marking a major milestone in efforts to improve collaboration, innovation, and delivery standards across the UK construction sector. The five major contractors a
09/07/2025
Roger Bullivant Limited (RBL) has been appointed by main contractor McLaren to carry out piling works for a new Boxing Academy and school development in Hackney, East London. The high-profile project, commissioned by the Department for Education and the Boxing Academy Trust, will transform an unfin
09/07/2025
Key redevelopment projects at Central Library and Peterscourt, part of the wider Vine Towns Fund initiative, are set to move forward as Cabinet prepares to review an update and approve contracts at a meeting on 15 July. The update outlines the final phase of the £25 million Vine project, which is p
09/07/2025
Seven of the UK's largest housebuilders have offered a combined £100 million settlement in response to a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation into alleged information sharing practices that raised competition concerns. The CMA launched the probe last year amid suspicions that Barra
Aqua Direct LtdStuart CanvasEfco UK LtdLakeside HireVinco SalesExcel Modular Buildings LimitedWestermans International LtdManchester Skip CompanySalford SkipsBest Brickwork