BARNSLEY could have an estimated 10,000 extra households in just seven years’ time if projections for future housing estates come to fruition, new figures have revealed.
Analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) explores how the population could change over the coming years, with more older people living alone and fewer families with children.
A projection based on current trends and data from the 2021 Census suggests there could be 117,605 households in Barnsley by 2032, an increase of 9,308.
This was slightly less than the overall increase of 10.3 per cent across England over the same period, which would see the number of households rise from 23.5 million in 2022 to 25.9 million in 2032.
In Barnsley, the number of households with one child is forecast to fall by eight per cent, those with two children could fall by 5.8 per cent, and those with three or more children could fall by 5.2 per cent.
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said the government had introduced ‘ambitious’ housebuilding targets.
They added: “We will leave no stone unturned to build the homes this country desperately needs and alongside our landmark new towns, we will drive growth and restore the dream of homeownership across the country.
“Our revised housing targets have been set in line with the needs of local areas, so more homes will be built in the right places alongside the necessary infrastructure.”
Housing delivery in Barnsley stood at 84 per cent of targets between 2020 and 2023, meaning an under supply of more than 3,600 houses required by the government was registered by the council.
However, the government’s Brownfield Housing Fund is set to unlock giant, disused sites in Barnsley - such as ex-quarries and mining sites - by cleaning up their contaminated land to make them more enticing to developers.
The first two Barnsley-based sites - 13 acres off the Cudworth Parkway commuting belt and former open cast mining land off Coniston Avenue in Darton - are set to undergo remediation work after county bosses signed off on a combined £2.2m package.
Bosses believe it will help local authorities to deliver their house-building ambitions which have been mired in controversy due to local residents’ campaigns and developers’ reluctance to take on brownfield sites with a working history.
Coun Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture said: “We need sustainable, quality housing so all residents can live in a home that’s right for them.
“As a council, we’re focused on long-term planning to address population growth, changing needs and economic challenges, aiming to build resilient communities with housing options for all.
“We continue to work with SYMCA and Homes England to maximise grant funding opportunities to accelerate housing delivery across the borough.”
