The number of starts and completions of new build homes rose last year, reaching the highest level since 2008…
New figures released by the Department for Communities and Local Government have revealed more than 143,500 new build homes were started in the quarter ending December 2015. This was an increase of 23 per cent on the same quarter a year earlier and a rise of 91 per cent when compared to the low point of the year up to June 2009.
The quarter ending in December 2015 saw the number of completions grow by 21 per cent on the previous year.
The government said this means both starts and completions have reached their highest level since 2008, with more than 700,000 new build homes started since April 2010.
Communities Secretary Greg Clark said: “Aspiring homeowners should get the help they need to turn their dream into a reality – key to that is building the homes our country needs.
“Today’s figures show how our reforms to the planning system are delivering the permissions needed and schemes like Help to Buy have given builders the confidence to invest and build, with starts and completions now at their highest since 2008.
“But we’re determined to do even more, and fulfil our ambition to deliver one million new homes by 2021.”
Figures from the Home Builders Federation also revealed a 12 per cent rise in planning permissions during the same quarter. Some 58,875 homes were granted planning permission in England during the third quarter of last year, up from 53,409 in the same period during the previous year.
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said the figures were indicative that the nation was once again building.
“We’ve got the country building again with starts nearly double the low point of 2009 and along with completions hitting a 7-year high,” he said.
“However we’re not complacent. That’s why we’ve set out the most ambitious housing vision for more than a generation, doubling the housing budget so we can meet our ambition of delivering a million new homes.”
Private housebuilders saw the number of new build homes complete increase 20 per cent on the previous year, while those completed by housing associations rose by 27 per cent.
Strong regional growth was seen in areas such as Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, North Oxfordshire, and the Thames estuary.