The most up to date figures show that home building in England has increased by over one fifth compared to last year.
DCLG writes:
More homes are being built thanks to the government’s action to help homebuyers and fix the broken housing market, Housing and Planning Minister Brandon Lewis said today (21 August 2014).
The latest statistics published today show 36,230 new housing starts in England between April and June, an increase of 18% on the same quarter last year.
It brings the total number of starts over the last 12 months to 137,780, a 22% increase on the previous year and the highest level of house building since 2007.
Mr Lewis said today’s figures are further evidence that the government’s long-term economic plan to improve the housing market is working.
Almost 40,000 households have bought a home through Help to Buy with over 80% of sales going to first time buyers purchasing new build homes. The direct result is a new generation of homeowners and a 34% increase in private house building during the first year of the scheme.
At the same time the construction sector has been growing for 15 consecutive months, and is currently experiencing the sharpest rise in house building orders since 2003, while companies are taking on new workers at the fastest rate since 1997.
A growing pipeline of new projects is also emerging from the reformed planning system. Last year successful applications for major housing schemes were up 23%, and planning permissions were granted for 216,000 new homes.
