THE average number of homes built in St Helens over the last 15 years totalled more than 450 per year, it has been confirmed.

The St Helens Local Plan, up to 2037, was adopted in July 2022.

It proposed a minimum of 10,206 net additional dwellings in the borough between 2016 and 2037 – an average of at least 486 dwellings per year.

The council has confirmed the average number of homes built each year, over the last 15 years.

The number of net dwellings completed totalled 240 in 2008-09, 399 in 2009-10, 157 in 2010-11, 419 in 2011-12, 264 in 2012-13, 503 in 2013-14, 632 in 2014-15, 575 in 2015-16, 487 in 2016-17, 408 in 2017-18, 775 in 2018-19, 758 in 2019-20, 646 in 2020-21, 259 in 2021-22 and 430 in 2022-23.

Therefore, the average over the last 15 years totalled 463 dwellings per year.

But the council highlighted that the majority of this period is dated before the current housing requirement in the adopted Local Plan, which applies to 2016 to 2037. The average housing delivery since 2016 averages 538 dwellings per annum.

The council was asked how confident it is that the target for new homes set out in the Local Plan will be delivered.

Cllr Richard McCauley, cabinet member for regeneration and planning, said: “We are confident that the target for new homes set out in the Local Plan will be delivered as this has been independently tested and supported as part of the rigorous review process with two independent planning inspectors.

“The Local Plan housing requirement and the council’s ability to deliver it over the plan period (up to 2037) was thoroughly tested through the Local Plan process, which ultimately found the Local Plan sound.”

In neighbouring Warrington, the Local Plan was formally adopted as the new development plan for the borough at the recent full council meeting.

It aims to deliver a minimum of 14,688 new homes between 2021-22 and 2038-39, equating to 816 per year.

Furthermore, it aims to support Warrington’s ongoing economic success by ensuring provision is made to meet the need for 168 hectares of employment land between 2021-22 and 2038-39.

Warrington Borough Council has confirmed figures on housing completions over the past 20 years, along with the 15-year and 20-year average.

The 15-year average totalled 628.13, while the 20-year average totalled 757.75.

The net completions totalled 452 in 2003-04, 1,085 in 2004-05, 1,269 in 2005-06, 1,362 in 2006-07, 1,565 in 2007-08, 633 in 2008-09, 388 in 2009-10, 527 in 2010-11, 600 in 2011-12, 647 in 2012-13, 693 in 2013-14, 687 in 2014-15, 594 in 2015-16, 513 in 2016-17, 359 in 2017-18, 503 in 2018-19, 541 in 2019-20, 571 in 2020-21, 694 in 2021-22, 1,472 in 2022-23.