Families on Bath and North East Somerset Council’s housing list hoping to land a four bedroom home face a wait of 200 years, the council’s head of housing has warned.

As of the end of 2023, there were 4,923 families on the council’s housing list competing for the 500-600 social homes which become available each year.

Households classed as non-priority could expect to be housed in just under four and a half years, as of 2024, but for families needing a home with four or more bedrooms, the wait is much much longer.

Speaking at a council scrutiny panel discussing its housing plan on January 22, head of housing Graham Sabourn said: “If you take a simple average, how many people are on the list and how often four bed properties come up, you will be waiting around 200 years, quite a long time, so absolutely it is an issue.”

A total of 371 households in Bath and North East Somerset are currently waiting for a four bedroom social home. But in the last three years, only 16 have become available.

Over the last 10 years, 935 new social homes have been added to the housing stock and, in recent years, Bath and North East Somerset Council itself has started building council homes again under its £12m B&NES Homes programme.

But for decades, the area was dependent on housing associations to build social housing. All the while, the stock of four bedroom council homes was depleted and not replenished by housing associations.

Mr Sabourn told the panel: “Historically four bed properties have been very attractive to right to buy so a disproportionate number of those large family homes were sold through the right to buy process, and the flip-side is that four bed properties are very expensive to build.”

Meanwhile, some four bedroom social homes are now occupied by just one person, which Mr Sabourn said was “perfectly understandable” as they may have brought their family up there and get on well with their their neighbours.

Council leader Kevin Guy said in a statement: “This administration is working tirelessly to find and develop every possible brownfield site, no matter how small, so that we can provide multiple-use accommodation.”

“We are making good progress on our commitment to provide the affordable homes that are so badly needed in our area. Our B&NES Home programme currently comprises 66 units in operation, with a further 48 units under construction or due to start construction within the next 12-18 months.”

The homes are being built by Aequus, the council’s wholly owned building company. Company chair Sally Higham said: “Both when finished will be energy efficient and therefore more affordable to run for residents. I look forward to returning when they are completed.”

But with the B&NES Homes programme making use of small parcels of brownfield land, it has not yet led to more four bedroom social housing being built. Mr Sabourn told the scrutiny panel: “Where we will have an opportunity, we will do that. It is an absolute challenge.”