Midlothian ranks first in UK’s fastest-growing housing hotspots

A new study has placed Midlothian first in a list of the local authorities that recorded the highest rate of completed new builds in the UK between 2022 and 2025.

The study, conducted by property investment firm Property Buyers Today, examined building completion rates in all local authorities across the UK between April 2022 and March 2025 and compared them to the 2024 population estimates of each local authority to determine the number of builds completed per 10,000 residents.

Midlothian takes first place with 279 new buildings completed per 10,000 population. In total, 2,790 homes were completed compared to its population of 99,880.

Housing demand in the region is connected to its proximity to Edinburgh, as many choose to live near big cities rather than within them to reduce costs of living.

Midlothian has been home to a slew of completed and ongoing housing developments in recent years, with councillors recently paying a visit to two green-energy developments in Newbyres and Bonnyrigg.

Second is Mid Suffolk, which follows with 2,950 builds completed within the timeframe analysed. This results from the completion of 266 new houses per 10,000 population, based on a population of 110,775.

Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire, ranks third on the list, with 2,550 builds completed between 2022 and 2025, which translates to 250 builds per 10,000 population.

Further down the list, South Derbyshire takes fourth place with 2,930 completed builds, for a rate of 249 builds per 10,000 population, while Stratford-on-Avon rounds out the top five, with 3,510 completed builds. 

This results in 240 new builds per 10,000 population, reflecting continued housing growth in an area known for its historic character and popularity with both residents and visitors.

Saif Derzi, founder of Property Buyers Today, commented on the findings: “The data highlights how important it is for the public and private sectors to collaborate in order to address and tackle housing shortages throughout the country.

“The role of local authorities in this context is to enhance the quality of life for their residents and understand the needs of their communities.

“Midlothian’s performance in this ranking is very surprising as it is a relatively small local authority that it is outbuilding areas with much larger populations and bigger budgets.

“That suggests something is working in the planning process there that other councils could learn from.”

Top 10 local authorities with the most completed new builds from 2022 to 2025