The volume of housing sales fell sharply in 2008 and 2009. Since then the numbers of properties being sold has increased steadily, buoyed in recent years by increasing amounts of new house building.
In 2017/18 there were 205 new affordable homes completed through planning, and 1,602 private homes. Combined, house completions fell 8% compared to the previous year but remained at considerably higher levels than the longer-term average. The net number of additional homes built (1,759) exceeded the annual target of 1,600 set out in the Local Plan.
In 2017/18, 41% of dwellings were built on previously developed land (brownfield). This was below the target of 65% for dwellings and the target of 40% for employment floorspace.
The Local Development Framework (LDF) Annual Monitoring Reports provide detailed information about housing and commercial building development over the past year.
Affordability (to buy)
In the 12 months to the end of September 2017, the median house price was £144,995, representing an annual price increase of 7%. The lower quartile house price was £107,500, representing an annual price increase of 8%.
In 2002, the median house price was 3.5-times the median gross earnings of people working full-time but by 2005 the ratio had risen to 5.6-times (based on earnings of residents). Over the last five years the median price/earnings ratio has increased gradually, but not as much as seen across England as a whole. The lower quartile price/earnings ratio has fluctuated more and has also increased gradually over the past four of five years.
Other resources
- Number of residential property sales (table) : (map) (updated quarterly)
- Number of residential property sales (existing dwellings) (table) : (map) (updated quarterly)
- Number of residential property sales (newly built dwellings) (table) : (map) (updated quarterly)
- LGA Research Summary Report- Areas showing greatest signs on new housing developments (updated quarterly)
- Map of median house price, by MSOA (updated quarterly)
- Map of lower quartile house price, by MSOA (updated quarterly)
- Map of median house price (newly built dwellings), by MSOA (updated quarterly)
- Map of lower quartile house price (newly built dwellings), by MSOA (updated quarterly)
- Wakefield Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA)
- HM Land Registry searchable price paid dataset.
- Annual Monitoring Report of the Local Plan (also known as the Local Development Framework)