In 2013 we, along with neighbouring authorities, commissioned GVA to carry out a Strategic Housing Market Needs Assessment (SHMNA). The report sets out predictions for population increases and the number of homes needed up to 2031 - more than 300,000 people and over 22,000 more homes. Plymouth currently has a population of 256,384 which is predicted to increase to 300,000 by 2031 driven by a growth in jobs, a predicted 400 to 900 new jobs a year.
The report highlights that the city has an ageing population and that there will be a 30 per cent increase in the number of over 65s by 2031. A lack of affordable housing is a known challenge and the report shows that in Plymouth the cost of a below average price house is 6.3 times more than the salary of someone earning below average wages.