BARNSLEY Council missed its target for new homes by almost a third last year, a report has revealed.
The council set a target for 900 new houses to be built over the latest 12-month period, but only 612 were delivered.
It was a similar story to the previous year when the council once again missed its target by more than 200 homes.
A report, which will be discussed by cabinet members next week, states that there are continued pressures both locally and nationally.
It said: “At a national level, the housing market continues to face sustained pressures.
“These include rising construction costs linked to inflation, ongoing labour shortages, and disruption to global supply chains.
“In addition, wider geopolitical factors have contributed to increased uncertainty within the development industry.
“Collectively, these pressures are affecting the viability of development, particularly on more marginal or complex sites, and are leading to delays in delivery.
“This position has been further influenced by ongoing changes and uncertainty in the national planning system.
“Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the emerging introduction of Spatial Development Strategies (SDS), and new requirements such as Biodiversity Net Gain have all contributed to a more cautious approach from developers.
“In many cases, this has resulted in slower decision-making, delayed starts on site, and a reduction in the number of new planning applications coming forward.
“Locally, Barnsley continues to experience additional delivery constraints that are typical of many areas.
“These include pressures on infrastructure capacity, the complexity of bringing forward certain sites, and, in some cases, local community concerns about new development.
“While the council has a strong Local Plan in place, which identifies land for housing, the rate at which these sites are built out is influenced by market conditions and developer activity, rather than the planning system alone.
“It is also important to highlight that, despite the longer-term downward trend, quarter four did see a 45 per cent increase in completions compared to quarter three.
“This indicates some recovery in delivery rates, although the quarterly target of 225 dwellings was not met.”
The council say that building new homes is a key priority.
The report added: “In response to these challenges, the council continues to take a proactive role in supporting housing delivery.
“Planning permissions are being granted in line with the adopted Local Plan, and work is ongoing to unblock more complex or stalled sites where intervention may be needed.
“The council also continues to engage with government and regional partners to respond to emerging policy changes and to support coordinated approaches to growth.
“Housing delivery remains a key priority for both central government and the council, given its importance in supporting economic growth, regeneration, and meeting local housing needs.
“While external factors continue to influence the pace of development, the council remains committed to enabling high-quality, sustainable development, maintaining an effective planning service, and ensuring a strong pipeline of deliverable sites for the future.
“In summary, while current performance reflects a challenging operating environment, it is consistent with wider national trends.
“The council is actively managing these challenges and taking appropriate steps to support recovery in housing delivery over the medium to longer term.”
