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New home completions rise to 11-year high, government figures show
The number of new homes completed across the country in the year ending in June was the highest for a decade, at more than 173,000.
According to figures published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), the number of homes completed rose to 173,660 for the year ending in June 2019.
The figures showed an 8% increase compared with the previous year to June 2018, with the proportion of family homes rising to 78% of all homes built – the highest level for 19 years.
Despite the rise in home completions, the number of starts has dropped.
The MHCLG figures show that on a quarterly basis, new build dwelling starts in England were estimated to stand at 37,220 in the second quarter to June, a 2% decrease compared with the previous quarter and 8% down on the same three months in 2018.
Annual new build dwelling starts totalled 160,640 in the year to June 2019, a 1% decrease.
Private housebuilders saw a 2% decline in new dwelling starts in the quarter, with starts by housing associations 4% lower, according to the MHCLG, although completions by housing associations had risen by 20%.
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Commenting on the figures Robert Jenrick, housing secretary, said: “We are moving in the right direction, but there is still much more to do if we are going to deliver the numbers needed by communities up and down the country.
“I’m determined to deliver homes that are high-quality, well designed and good for the planet.
“Faster and simpler planning regulations will help us reach that goal, which is why I have announced measures to accelerate planning decisions for homes and reduce the use of unnecessary conditions by up to a third, freeing up developers so they can get on and build in a locally appropriate way.”
MHCLG figures come as the recent NHF supply survey of housebuilding by housing associations found that 11,823 homes were started in first quarter of 2019/20, an increase of 23.5% on the same period in 2019.
Across the 12 months until June 2019, there were 51,618 home starts by housing associations, up 17.5% from 43,896 in preceding period.
The figures also found that the number of housing completions in the 12 months to the end of June stood at 45,414.
