The UK housing market is facing a major hurdle.  Shortages of residences exist all over England and more people want the landscape to be built on, or do they?  Even though a mass number of residents will be without housing in the coming years, many still do not want new housing builds to take place.  According to a recent survey by the Building Society Association, up to half of the population of a given area would oppose building in their back yard.

The survey focused in particular on building more than 300 properties in the area compared with building between 100 and 299 homes.  The results showed the responders almost split down the middle 49% opposed 300 and 53% opposed between 100 and 299.

The data of shortage for housing simply is not in line with the desire of residents in these areas.  Shortage figures are not just data on a page.  It represents people trying to make it without one of the basics of survival, shelter.

In England alone, up to a quarter of a million of new houses are needed a year.  This figure is one which is a topic of intense discussion without a clear solution.

Paul Broadhead, head of mortgage policy at the BSA, commented on the current difficulties faced related to housing, saying: “These consumer views results illustrate the major barrier that Governments has to overcome when it comes to boosting housing supply in the UK.

“People are open to new developments and even different types of housing and tenure, but the message is clear: ‘not in my backyard’.”

Broadhead added: “A bigger and more diverse property market that provides a range of housing options for the UK’s 64 million inhabitants is the shortest route to remedying our current housing crisis.”