Demand grows for new Shropshire houses

Britain's biggest housebuilders say they are experiencing strong demand for homes in the county, and the number of properties set for completion this year is set to clock in at its highest rate since before the financial crisis.

In Telford & Wrekin, the net increase in properties – the difference between the number of homes demolished and the number built - will be the biggest since 2007.

In 2007-8 the net increase was 363, and the figure rose steadily to peak at 730 two years ago.

However, last year the figure fell to 607 homes as the harsh winter made construction difficult.

During the 2013/14 financial year, however, the forecasts suggest that the bank of houses in the county will increase by more than 800.

No comparable figures were available from Shropshire Council.

James Wood, director of Shrewsbury-based housebuilder Saxonby, said the newly reinvigorated industry was ready for rapid growth, with new plans coming to fruition.

"There's a lot more confidence in the sector, and I think the Help to Buy scheme has made a huge difference," he said.

"We are about to start on an open market housing development in Shrewsbury, at Trinity Street in Belle Vue, which is a conversion of a Victorian mansion and nine new homes.

"That's been in the pipeline for some time, and now we feel it is the right time to be going forward and developing it."

He said the company's turnover and profit are set to double this year as the market accelerates.

National builders are also eyeing land in Shropshire for development.

Barratt, the country's biggest builder by volume, revealed yesterday that it had closed one sales centre in Telford because it had sold the last property at Monarch Fields in Donnington.

It's regional senior sales manager Andrea Shotbolt said: "The housing market in Shropshire is good, we are seeing increased visitor levels at our Telford developments and sales have been even stronger since the New Year.

"We believe house-buying schemes such as Help to Buy have had a significant impact on the housing market, giving first time buyers the opportunity to get a foot on the housing ladder instead of having to rent a property."

Barratt is now focused on its sites at Lawley Rise and Woodland View in Lawley, with a proposed development in Hanwood Road in Shrewsbury coming soon.

Bovis, another of the biggest names in the industry, is working on one development at Cleobury Park in Cleobury Mortimer, which will bring forward 92 new homes, and is set to launch another to market at Oakford Grange in Telford.

Taylor Wimpey, meanwhile, is planning a development at Sutton Grange in Shrewsbury, having already opened developments in Telford, Shifnal, Newport and Shrewsbury.

Bovis's regional managing director Darrell White said: "Help to Buy is undoubtedly having an impact on the Shropshire market, opening it up for both first-time buyers and existing home owners.

"We get a lot of enquiries about the scheme from people who are eager to get moving on the county's property ladder but have felt frozen out for the last few years.

"To respond to that interest we often stage events at our sales offices to explain how the scheme can help."

Despite seven years of stagnation, a typical Shropshire home is worth 19 per cent more than it was 10 years ago, according to the most recent figures from Nationwide which showed the average house in the county, including Telford & Wrekin, is now worth £174,235.

Prices were up four per cent for the final quarter of 2013, when compared to the comparative period in 2012, demonstrating the pace of the improvement.

Wynne Thomas, the land director for Barratt in the West Midlands, said the group has a number of sites in the county that could come to fruition at any time in the next three to 10 years.

And while the market has continued to grow, that holding of land has been flagged up as a real issue of concern.

Last week figures revealed that developers have permission for 7,000 homes across the Shropshire Council area which have not yet been started.

Moreover, some concerns have been raised that the rapid growth in the market is leading to a new housing bubble.

But Mr Wood said he was quietly confident about the way the market has started back on the road to good health.

"It feels more like steady growth," he added.