Portsmouth sees surge in new homes as city ranks tenth in the UK
If you’ve been travelling around Portsmouth lately, you might have noticed more rooftops and construction activity across the city. A new study has ranked Portsmouth tenth in the UK for the fastest growth in newly built homes.
Research conducted by Bluefield Realty Group shows that the number of newly completed homes in Portsmouth has increased by 55.56% over the past five years.
Leading the list is Reading, with a 490% rise, followed by Brighton (188.89%), Norwich (157.14%), Oxford (131.25%), Luton (104.35%), Birmingham (93.33%), Preston (89.29%), Dundee (65.52%), and Derby (62.71%).
Michael Smith, spokesperson for Bluefield Realty Group, commented: “Demand for housing in the UK has been relentless, particularly in cities that are attractive to both buyers and renters. While it’s encouraging to see places like Reading and Brighton making progress with new developments, affordability remains one of the biggest challenges facing households today.
"Rising interest rates, coupled with the increasing cost of living, mean that even with more homes on the market, many people still feel priced out.”
“Home ownership has always been a goal for many families, but in recent years it has become harder to achieve. Building more homes is an important step in easing pressure, but it must go hand in hand with policies that make housing genuinely accessible. Without that, even areas with strong growth in completions risk leaving first-time buyers and renters struggling to secure a place to call home.”
List of the top 25 UK cities with the highest surge in new homes:
| Rank | Areas | Percentage change for new houses built in the last 5 years |
| 1 | Reading | 490.00 |
| 2 | Brighton | 188.89 |
| 3 | Norwich | 157.14 |
| 4 | Oxford | 131.25 |
| 5 | Luton | 104.35 |
| 6 | Birmingham | 93.33 |
| 7 | Preston | 89.29 |
| 8 | Dundee | 65.52 |
| 9 | Derby | 62.71 |
| 10 | Portsmouth | 55.56 |
| 11 | Glasgow | 40.13 |
| 12 | Burnley | 30.00 |
| 13 | Exeter | 28.57 |
| 14 | Bolton | 25.71 |
| 15 | Leeds | 25.71 |
| 16 | Sunderland | 22.81 |
| 17 | Gloucester | 21.43 |
| 18 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 18.52 |
| 19 | Nottingham | 17.14 |
| 20 | Milton Keynes | 15.12 |
| 21 | Swansea | 15.00 |
| 22 | Cardiff | 11.58 |
| 23 | Sheffield | 11.34 |
| 24 | St Albans | 10.00 |
| 25 | Stockport | 8.16 |
Methodology
To identify the UK cities with the most newly built homes, the study analyzed government data on housing completions from the past five years. The research team compiled this information to determine the total number of new homes completed, highlighting trends and areas of growth.
The ranking of cities is based on the percentage change in housing completions over this period, reflecting trends and differences in housing progress.