Almost 36,000 new homes were registered in the UK by the National Housebuilding Council (NHBC) in the third quarter of 2016, according to its latest new home registration statistics.
The affordable sector was up 18% with 9,191 new homes registered compared to 7,764 in Q3 2015, while 26,762 new homes were registered in the private sector, a 5% decrease on the 28,190 a year ago.
The overall number of new home registrations is virtually identical to the same period last year when 35,954 new homes were registered in the UK.
The figures portray a mixed picture across the UK with half of the 12 regions showing an increase in registrations during Q3, including the South East (+56%), North West (+48%) and Yorkshire and Humberside (+42%), with the others reporting a dip in numbers, such as Scotland (-38%) and London (-45%), compared to a year ago.
The number of new home completions for the Q3 period increased by 5% (33,341 versus 31,759 last year) when compared to the same period 12 months ago, mirroring the strong growth seen in registrations in previous quarters.
Commenting on the Q3 figures, NHBC chief executive Mike Quinton said: “Our latest statistics show that the industry continues to consolidate on the strong growth in registrations seen in recent years. Following a quiet July, registrations bounced back in August and September as the industry shrugged off early nervousness following the vote to leave the EU. NHBC remains fully committed to support the industry to build new homes to the highest possible standards.”
