Increase in building of new homes is boost to Mansfield's economy

And the trend has been welcomed by experts and council leaders, who see it as a sure sign that the local economy is picking up after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The data has been produced by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and shows that work was completed on 110 homes in the Mansfield area between January and March. This was 20 more than the 90 finished during the same period last year.

Building work also began on a further 50 homes in the first three months of 2021.

Mansfield District Council confirmed that 16 major development schemes, for an expected total of 458 homes, were under way between April 2020 and March 2021.

What’s more, section 106 contributions – the amount a private developer agrees to give to local schemes – has totalled £625,000 to help pay for new, low-cost housing, classed as affordable.

Coun Marion Bradshaw, the council’s portfolio holder for housing, said: “We are very excited by all the house-building going on in Mansfield at the moment and in the past year.

"It is all much-needed and good news for the people of Mansfield, both for those seeking somewhere to live and in terms of a boost to the local economy that this construction work creates.

"While much of the building has been privately-led like, for instance, at Berry Hill, we are pleased to see a number of affordable housing schemes too.”

Housing projects in Mansfield include a £1.7 million scheme on Rosemary Avenue, which is part of a long-term programme to build 300 affordable homes.

Only this month, ten of the energy-efficient homes, which were pre-built in a factory and delivered to the site in sections, welcomed their first council tenants.

The Local Plan, adopted by the council last year, estimates that the Mansfield district will require 6,500 new houses by 2033.

Among schemes expected to move ahead in the coming year or in 2022 are: Berry Hill (Lindhurst development) 1,699 homes; Penniment Farm 430 homes; Three Thorn Hollow 200 homes; Cox’s Lane 31 homes; Centenary Road 77 council homes; Bellamy Road Estate 22 council homes; and Saundby Avenue four council homes.

House-building is increasingly recognised as a key driver of economic growth because it provides jobs and tax revenues, and stimulates local areas, encouraging more spending.

Across England as a whole, 49,470 homes were completed in the first quarter of 2021, which is the highest number for any three-month period in more than 20 years.

The Home Builders Federation (HBF) says demand for new-build homes is extremely strong across the country.

Its chairman, Stewart Baseley, said: “As well as addressing the social need for more housing, it creates jobs, generates investment in local economies and delivers improvements to infrastructure and amenities that benefit both new and existing residents.”

At the start of the pandemic, all construction work was halted. But then the government allowed builders to seek more flexible arrangements from their local councils, keeping sites open and operating safely.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, who is MP for Newark, said: “It is encouraging to see a continued rise in the number of new homes being built.

"The house-building sector has shown extraordinary resilience.

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