In the first three months of the year 36,566 homes were registered by NHBC in the UK, 9% down on the same period last year when 40,144 new homes were registered.
Of the total, 28,398 new homes were registered in the private sector, a 7% decrease on the 30,560 a year ago, with the public and affordable sector down 15% with 8,168 new homes registered compared to 9,584 in Q1 2015.
For the financial year 2015/16, registrations remained in line with the previous year with 152,329 new home registrations, marginally ahead of the 15,262 registered in 2014/15.
There was also a 10% increase in the number of new home completions for the financial year up to the end of March, compared to 2015/15, with 137,396 completions. NHBC has approximately 80% market share.
NHBC Chief Executive Mike Quinton commented: “Our latest statistics show that the industry is consolidating on the strong growth in the registrations seen in recent years. Registrations are now around 80% higher than the depths of the financial crisis in 2008/09, driven by increased activity from private sector housebuilders.”
“Because of the increase in registrations we are now also seeing the resulting completions come through, as reflected in the 10% rise in the number of new homes completed in the financial year.”
