Support for local housebuilding plummets since election
Brits’ support for housebuilding in their local area has fallen since the general election in a risk to the government’s lofty construction goals, according to new data.
Net support has dropped by 11 percentage points, with renters’ backing for new housing near where they live falling by 14 percentage points, according to new research by Stack Data Strategy.
Harrow saw the steepest fall in local net support for housebuilding of 23 percentage points out of all London boroughs, followed by Kingston upon Thames with a drop of 22 percentage points.
This is despite a huge push from the government to build 1.5m new homes on grey, brown and green belt land in an attempt to resolve the UK’s long-standing housing crisis.
“This data underscores the urgency with which everyone needs to move, because support is dropping even among groups who stand to benefit from new housing, like young people and renters,” Kieran Kumaria, Managing Director of Stack Data Strategy, said.
The main reasons cited for opposition to local housebuilding are increased strain on local services and the potential loss of green spaces or damage to the environment.
Despite rising house prices making it prohibitively expensive for young people to get on the housing ladder, support among younger voters aged 18-34 has dropped by 16 percentage points.
Young opponents of local housebuilding were particularly concerned that “new housing won’t be affordable anyway”, compared to the wider population, according to the research.
Council savings trump nimby-ism
However, Kumaria noted that attitudes toward local housebuilding shifted across all age groups and political persuasions when respondents were told about potential savings for local councils.
Local authorities – particularly those in London, are facing significant financial pressures. These pressures have come largely from re-housing costs, as well as general adult social care costs like support for mental and physical illness.
When the link between more housebuilding and lower costs for councils was pointed out, net national support for local housebuilding grew from 17 per cent to 37 per cent.
Kumaria said that despite the overall drop in support, there were still “supportive majorities to be won for local housebuilding across the country” – with the right messaging.