There is no point in a local plan that isn’t deliverable.

The viability of residential development, long taken for granted, is becoming increasingly challenged – and that puts the deliverability of plans at risk. Construction costs are some 38% higher than in January 2019 – an increase that has not been off-set by commensurate increases in house prices.

Zoopla reports that residential development is now unviable in 48% of England. The picture in some regions is even worse – Zoopla’s data shows that just 13% of the Midlands has selling prices at a level where it makes financial sense to build new homes.