Surge in UK home building leaves some cities miles ahead
Finding a place to live has become tougher in recent years, but some parts of the country are building at a much faster pace than others.
A new study byBluefield Realty Group has revealed the UK cities where housing supply is growing the quickest, and the results may surprise you.
At the top of the list is Reading, where the number of newly built homes has soared by an eye-catching 490% in the past five years. That makes it by far the fastest-growing city for new housing, comfortably ahead of second-placed Brighton, which recorded a 188.89% rise, and Norwich, up 157.14%.
Other cities making the top five are Oxford (131.25%) and Luton (104.35%), both areas where pressure on housing has been intense due to their proximity to London.
The top 10 cities where new homes have been built at the fastest rate are:
- Reading - 490.00%
- Brighton - 188.89%
- Norwich - 157.14%
- Oxford - 131.25%
- Luton - 104.35%
- Birmingham - 93.33%
- Preston - 89.29%
- Dundee - 65.52%
- Derby - 62.71%
- Portsmouth - 55.56%
Michael Smith, spokesperson for Bluefield Realty Group, commented:
“Demand for housing in the UK has been relentless, particularly in cities that are attractive to both buyers and renters. While it’s encouraging to see places like Reading and Brighton making progress with new developments, affordability remains one of the biggest challenges facing households today. Rising interest rates, coupled with the increasing cost of living, mean that even with more homes on the market, many people still feel priced out.”
“Home ownership has always been a goal for many families, but in recent years it has become harder to achieve. Building more homes is an important step in easing pressure, but it must go hand in hand with policies that make housing genuinely accessible. Without that, even areas with strong growth in completions risk leaving first-time buyers and renters struggling to secure a place to call home.”
List of the top 25 UK cities with the highest surge in new homes:
| Rank | Areas | Percentage change for new houses built in the last 5 years |
| 1 | Reading | 490.00 |
| 2 | Brighton | 188.89 |
| 3 | Norwich | 157.14 |
| 4 | Oxford | 131.25 |
| 5 | Luton | 104.35 |
| 6 | Birmingham | 93.33 |
| 7 | Preston | 89.29 |
| 8 | Dundee | 65.52 |
| 9 | Derby | 62.71 |
| 10 | Portsmouth | 55.56 |
| 11 | Glasgow | 40.13 |
| 12 | Burnley | 30.00 |
| 13 | Exeter | 28.57 |
| 14 | Bolton | 25.71 |
| 15 | Leeds | 25.71 |
| 16 | Sunderland | 22.81 |
| 17 | Gloucester | 21.43 |
| 18 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 18.52 |
| 19 | Nottingham | 17.14 |
| 20 | Milton Keynes | 15.12 |
| 21 | Swansea | 15.00 |
| 22 | Cardiff | 11.58 |
| 23 | Sheffield | 11.34 |
| 24 | St Albans | 10.00 |
| 25 | Stockport | 8.16 |
Methodology
To identify the UK cities with the most newly built homes, the study analyzed government data on housing completions from the past five years. The research team compiled this information to determine the total number of new homes completed, highlighting trends and areas of growth.
The ranking of cities is based on the percentage change in housing completions over this period, reflecting trends and differences in housing progress.
Source
ONS - Office for National Statistics