Homebuilding in Bedford slows down in wake of Covid-19 restrictions

Homebuilding in Bedford has slowed down following the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions with fewer social homes built, new figures show.

Charity Shelter says the country now faces a worsening "housing emergency" and has called on the Government to ramp up a financial package to provide more social housing.

In Bedford, 70 new homes were finished between April and June this year, according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

This was a fall from 300 completed in the same three-month period last year.

It included a drop in social homes built by housing associations and the local authority with 20 finished between April and June, down from 90 last year.

Across the 12 months to June 2020, 910 new homes were finished in Bedford, a decrease of 13 per cent from the previous 12 months.

Numbers in the data have been rounded to the nearest 10 as they include estimates.

The situation has prompted Shelter to call on the Government to invest £12billion into new low-cost and social homes over the next two years.

Chief executive Polly Neate said: “There are over one million households on social housing waiting lists in England, and sadly many more are likely to join them as the recession bites and more people lose their homes.

“On top of this, we are facing a major housebuilding crash that will make the housing emergency even worse."

She added: "If private housebuilding nosedives it will cause a major drop in the number of desperately needed social homes too.

“The Government has to act, and fast. We urgently need a rescue package of social housebuilding to avert a lengthy crash that could wipe out tens of thousands of new homes and jobs.”

In Bedford, construction began 40 new homes between April and June this year, down from 380 last year.

The Government allowed construction workers at building sites throughout the national lockdown from March - they are also allowed to work during the second lockdown which starts on Thursday.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick last month announced a £12 billion investment plan into affordable housing over the next eight years, aimed at supporting the building of 180,000 affordable homes for ownership and rent.

An MHCLG spokesperson said the ministry was "determined" to build more houses quicker, adding it was overhauling the planning system and providing new investment into housing.