Home improvement
figures increase
across the South East
Home improvement figures across the South East increased through 2017 with more than
94,000 planning applications submitted, rising by 3 per cent.
The ‘Home Improvers of Great
Britain 2018’ report, compiled
by construction industry analysts
Barbour ABI shows that for
every 100 private homes, the
South East had on average 2.9
home improvement applications
in 2017, second to just London
regionally and above the British
average of 2.1.
In this year’s report, South
Bucks led all districts across the
region with 5.8 applications per
100 private homes (see figure
1.1), keeping its top spot from
second placed Sevenoaks despite
a fall in the number of planning
applications in the borough.
At the bottom of the list of
boroughs in the South East
for home improvement comes
Portsmouth, Southampton
and Gosport, which are more
urbanised districts with some
of the lowest average annual
earnings. It does, however, top the
regions for conservatories and
outbuildings.
Here these local authorities
received less than one application
for home improvement for every
100 private homes, compared
with South Bucks which receives
almost six. Its strongest showing over the
past five years is in rear single-
storey extensions, with growth of
26%.
In terms of the types of home
improvement, the South East
comes second to London across
most types in terms of planning
applications proportionate to its
number of private homes.
6
It has seen solid growth across
most types of home improvement
except outbuildings, which have
declined nationally.
The Office for National Statistics
Family Spending survey suggests
that households in the South East
on average spent above £1,900 a
year altering and improving their
homes across 2016 and 2017.
This totals about £7 billion spent
in the region.