Council behind on government target of 1,111 new homes a year in Rotherham, report shows
Only 778 new homes were completed last financial year - according to the report
A new housing report has shown that Rotherham Council appears to be falling behind on the government’s target of building 1,111 new homes each year.
The Housing Strategy 2025-30 is the fifth chapter of the 30-year strategy for Rotherham Council.
The 30-year vision for housing was established in 2013, and the strategy has been periodically refreshed as progress continued.
The long-term aims have largely been to get people living in high-quality homes, either in social or private rented, or home owning.
The four priorities for 2025-30 are:
Building high quality, sustainable and affordable new homes
Improving the safety, quality and energy efficiency of homes
Support residents to live independently, including through prevention of homelessness
Ensuring that neighbourhoods are safe, happy, and thriving
The council has focused on achieving the government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) goal, which originally had a target of completing 1,080 new homes in Rotherham every year.
This goal has since been revised for Rotherham to 1,111 new homes every year.
The progress report showed that despite this goal only 778 homes were completed during 2025/26, which is 12 less than in 2024/25, with 790 completed.
In 2019, councillors created the goal of building 1,000 new council homes by summer 2027.
In 2025/26 the council delivered 114 council homes, 111 for council rent and three for Shared Ownership.
Shared Ownership allows home buyers to part buy and part rent a home, deemed ideal for first time buyers.
The report says that the council is on track to deliver a further 212 homes by summer 2027.
When approached for comment the council have said that despite having a housing target, achieving it is not fully in their control.
Andrew Bramidge, executive director of regeneration and environment, said: “The annual government target of 1,111 homes requires significant private sector housing development, and while the council can influence this, it is clearly not within our control.
“The long term average number of new homes in the borough each year is about 650, and although this has risen slightly in recent years, this indicates the challenges in the market that housing developers face in building – and crucially selling – higher numbers of properties.”
The housing report is expected to be presented to the Improving Places Select Commission in the meeting on Tuesday, June 23.