An independent report, commissioned by the National Housing Federation (NHF), has found that many town halls have substantially reduced plans for new homes following the decision by ministers to advise them to ignore the previous Government's regional housebuilding targets and the subsequent abolition of the targets altogether.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles wrote to local authorities in May outlining the Government's commitment to abolishing regional strategies. On 6 July, he formally revoked the regional targets with immediate effect.
The research, which was carried out by Tetlow King Planning, found Mr Pickles's letter in May had a 'very significant impact' on reducing local authority housebuilding targets.
The NHF believes the Government's decision to allow councils to ignore the regional targets has resulted directly or indirectly in plans to build 84,150 homes being dropped.
Only 123,000 homes were built in 2009/10 - the lowest figure since 1923. But the scrapping of the housing targets could see that total fall below the 100,000 mark for the first time in almost a century.
Tetlow King said:
"In the immediate aftermath of [Mr Pickles's letter of 27 May] a number of authorities announced that they would be reducing their housing targets or suspending work on core [housing] strategies. A number also delayed the determination of large strategic housing developments.
"Some authorities had already been planning for lower targets before Eric Pickles's letter was released. Some had been influenced by Caroline Spelman's letter, sent in August 2009, advising local authorities of a potential Conservative Government's intention to abolish regional housing targets and not to progress controversial housing targets."
According to Tetlow King the aggregate number of planned homes dropped either directly or indirectly because of the Government's decision to scrap the regional housebuilding targets is:
It is believed the figure for the South West is particularly high because the regional housebuilding targets had not been fully adopted and therefore local authorities had not had a chance to challenge the figures.
The Federation also believes that many more authorities in other regions of the country may come out in the next few months and announce that they intend to reduce the number of homes delivered in their localities as well.
England
Festival Housing Group
A Redditch development in the West Midlands has become the first in the country to be completed under the Kickstart programme.
The Windsor Road site, developed by Westbury Partnerships, received £577,000 from the national scheme, which was launched by the Homes and Communities Agency two years ago to breathe new life into the stalled market.
Fifty new homes, of which 13 are for rent and 21 for low cost home ownership, are now complete and part of a larger 300 home development. The completed homes have been handed over to Malvern-based Festival Housing Group, which is allocating the properties to local people in housing need.
'This development had slowed down due the economic climate but used Kickstart to successfully unlock it.
In total, Kickstart is providing over 18,000 new homes at 270 sites across the country, of which it is hoped around 9,500 will be affordable.
Gloucestershire Land for People
Ground-breaking proposals to develop environmentally sustainable, community-owned housing on land owned by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) are to be delivered by a partnership led by TV presenter Kevin McCloud.
The national housing and regeneration agency today announced it has identified Hab Oakus, a joint venture between Mr McCloud's company Hab and housing group GreenSquare, as the delivery partner to work up detailed plans to develop a former hospital site in Cashes Green, Stroud, Gloucestershire.
The agreement sees Hab Oakus work alongside the Community Land Trust, Gloucestershire Land for People (GLP), local residents and stakeholders to develop a full planning application for a comprehensive redevelopment of the site to include 78 new homes, allotments and a community building.
Under the proposals, GLP will own and manage 39 of these homes, which will be available for affordable rent and part ownership. The remaining homes will be made available for sale on the open market by Hab Oakus.
It is the first time a housing-focused Community Land Trust proposal will be delivered on HCA-owned land.
As part of the agreement, Hab Oakus will construct all 78 new homes to Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
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Guinness Hermitage
Buliding work commenced on scores of much-needed affordable new homes in a Somerset village, as part of a drive to increase access to housing for local people in the county.
Guinness Hermitage, a member of the Guinness Partnership, is working with First Step Homes on the construction of 67 new homes.
The development, intended specifically for local residents, will include units ranging from two to four bedroom houses and one and two bedroom flats.
The new homes will be built to Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which means that all aspects of the properties and their construction are designed to be at least 25% more efficient than traditionally-built new housing.
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Hastoe Housing Association
Work began on a £2 million affordable housing development to provide affordable homes for people with a local connection to Marlborough in the South Hams.
Hastoe Housing Association is building 17 homes for rent on a former allotment site next to Charnwood in Malborough near Kingsbridge. The land has been provided by South Hams District Council and supported with investment of more than £1.2 million from the Homes and Community Agency and additional funding from Hastoe Housing Association. ,p>Priority for the new homes will be given to families and single people who have a close local connection to Marlborough.
Of the new homes, five will have three bedrooms, 10 will have two bedrooms and two will be single-bedroom properties.
Scotland
Draft pending