behind my house three years ago, Goggle shows the house being built. 5 minutes walk another house in the garden of "Triona", and about 20 seconds before that they ripped up a stone house and built a care home for special people, loadsa tarmac (this year). & the special needs school (no connection AFAIK) they are for ever adding bits like a swimming pool. And just across from there about 20 (min) houses on the site of a builders yard, knocking down yet another stone cottage 10 years ago. Then there is the Old Ship Inn site, lain fallow/green for years, but arguably reclaimed land, alongside the canal (add 25% to the value just for the amenity) - pegged-pout ready for the dull-bozers. And opposite that a huge accommodation block for the private school. True they knocked down a building, of much smaller size. They has laid artificial surface (ie impervious) tennis courts this year. And the Old Ryeford pub that was stripped and more floors put in with 10 or more sheltered housing behind - oh about 2 years ago. Plus a single house being built behind what was a police house.
All in a town of 3000 ish houses.

The real problem is that it is only a small increase, - yea small per year. And we can't properly house the people we have - modern culture and an addiction to house prices.

I remember in the 60's neighbours being three and four person households. One house was brothers and wives until they could afford to divide and move on, a not unknown practice then. People did without until they could afford.

That culture may well return, and may well not!