The number of newly built homes has increased 6% in the past year, according to new figures released by the Government.
The latest house building data shows that 139,030 new homes were completed in the year to June and have continued to build gradually over the last 2 years.
More than 144,280 homes were started in the year to June 2016, a 2% increase on the previous year.
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said: “We’ve got the country building again with more new homes started and built than this time last year.
“This is real progress but there is much more to do. That’s why we are going further and increasing our investment in house building to ensure many more people can benefit.”
Andy Hill, Chief Executive at Hill, comments: “It’s encouraging to see housebuilding is on the up, as the latest DCLG figures show private housing starts increased four per cent in Q2 compared to the previous quarter. The country is facing a major housing shortage, and it is more important than ever that the government supports both first time buyers and housebuilders in the coming Autumn Statement, so that we can continue to build more new homes and get more people on to the housing ladder.”
The figures also show strong regional growth in London, Swindon and Wakefield, which are all experiencing high levels of completions.
Delivery in London saw 24% more homes being built in the year to June 2016 than the previous year with local authorities in Greenwich and Waltham Forest seeing completions soar 126% and 103% respectively over the same period.
In Swindon and Wakefield completions were up 104% and 41% respectively.
Figures published last year show that the total number of new homes across the country rose by 25% in 2014 to 2015, when taking in to account all homes, including new builds, houses that have been converted into flats and buildings whose use has been changed to residential.
