The district’s population size has increased by 11.8%, from around 131,300 in 2011 to 146,800 in 2021. This is more than the overall increase for England (6.6%), where the population increased by almost 3.5 million to 56,489,800 and more. than the increase for the Southeast (7.5 percent).
This will come as no surprise given the scale of housing construction in recent years, which has accelerated significantly since the industry recovered from the 2008 recession.
Jonathan Chowen, Leader of Horsham District Council and Cabinet Member for the Local Economy, said: “While these results show that Horsham District is a great place to live, it also highlights that we are building more houses than the national average.
‘This is not sustainable as it causes environmental and water stress issues, highlighted by both the advice and Natural England’s ‘pause’ on any development currently until a response to these challenges is met. of climate change can be found.
“The results really come as no surprise, as the area continues to be recognized as a great place to live, work and spend valuable leisure time, and is often voted as one of the best places to live in the UK.
“But as a council, we will strive to put the environment at the top of our agenda, while working with our communities and parishes to provide excellent services in parks, recycling, sport, recreation and culture.”
Commenting on the figures, Pete Benton, Assistant National Statistician at the Office for National Statistics, said: ‘Today’s census statistics begin to paint a rich and detailed picture of the nation and the way we lived during the pandemic. They show that the population of England and Wales continued to grow over the decade, although at different rates in different regions.
“Ultimately, the full suite of census results, based on the information we have all provided, will ensure that decisions about how the billions of pounds we spend each year as a nation are made using the best possible evidence.”
You can find more information about the census on the Office for National Statistics website at www.ons.gov.uk