Between 1st April and 30th June 2022, the number of new homes in England where building work has been started was 51,730, a 21% uplift on the preceding quarter, according to building control figures.
It’s also an increase on the same quarter last year coming in some 15% higher than the 2021 figures.
The number of dwellings completed during the quarter was 44,940, up 3% on the previous quarter and 6% when compared to the same quarter last year.
Over the year to 30th June, starts increased in the East Midlands, the East of England, London, the South East and the South West from the previous year.
The largest percentage increases were 28% in London and 18% in the East Midlands.
While completions increased in the North East, the East Midlands and the East of England when compared to the previous year.
The largest percentage increase was 6% in the East Midlands. In London, completions experienced a 20% decrease in the year to 30th June 2022 from the previous year.
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Malcolm Davidson, director of Hull-based broker, UK Moneyman:Â
“One major worry is that our new PM seems against the very idea of housebuilding targets. Whatever your political persuasion, though, our population is growing exponentially but housebuilding hasn’t kept up and we have seen property prices rise in the region of 20% since Covid alone.
“This is simply not sustainable if we want to continue to be a nation of homeowners. What we need is a clear vision and plan, utilising all available new technologies to enable the UK to embark upon a long period of building the homes we desperately need, including re-purposing buildings in our crumbling city centres.”
Rhys Schofield, managing director at Belper-based Peak Money:
“If you cut through the numbers that look big on paper, the UK needs to build 340,000 new homes a year until 2031. The Government’s own target is 300,000 a year.
“These latest numbers all fall well short, meaning that house prices can only be forced in one direction.
“With the lack of urgency around housebuilding, having a place to call your home is becoming increasingly out of reach for many people.”
