The Office for National Statistics has released figures showing that the population of England and Wales was 56.1 million in 2011, an increase of 3.7 million [7%] since the last census in 2001. This is the largest growth in the population in any 10-year period since census taking began over 200 years ago. It compares with a rise in population of a little over 3% between 1991 and 2001.

Unsurprisingly, at an average of 11.6% the population of London grew more than any other [with Tower Hamlets growing by over 26%]; the south east increased by 7.6%. The lowest increase was in the north east, which grew by just 2.2% and some locations actually declined in population e.g. Sunderland and South Tyneside.

Brighton & Hove grew by 10.3% to 273,400; far more than was expected and it will place an even greater emphasis on getting the emerging City Plan right to cope with the demands on current and future generations [see earlier story]. Projections in the Plan for housing need, for instance, may have been based on figures that did not take account of up to 15,000 additional residents.

The average population density in England & Wales was 3.71 people per hectare [100 square metres] with London showing a density of 52 per hectare and Brighton & Hove 31.23 although the actual concentration in the urban core will be substantially higher and quite possibly approaching London levels.

Chief executive of campaign group the Town and Country Planning Association, Kate Henderson, said, "Meeting housing needs arising from demographic change will require a major expansion in housing provision, but this can be squared with sustainable development only by dealing explicitly with spatial inequalities and economic disparities across England.”

"The continued development of the Greater South East will inevitably meet powerful constraints derived from congestion and resource shortages. The redistribution of these pressures can in part be achieved through a national spatial framework, but further detailed work on the future distribution of England’s population is also required."