<p>New build completions are up 6.4% year-on-year, according to official government statistics.</p> <p><span>The government’s net additional dwellings data, released today (November 15) shows that new build completions accounted for 195,290 of supply in 2017-18 (the year to April).</span></p> <p><span>The figures also reveal that housing supply in England has increased to 222,190 during the period - up 78% in five years.</span></p> <p><span>Welcoming the statistics, the Home Builders Federation said that, with housing supply totaling 629,000 over the past three years, the industry was set to “smash” the target set by the government to build 1 million homes in this parliament. But it urged ministers to continue to support the whole housing sector “if we are to deliver the government’s new 300,000 target”.</span></p><p><span>HBF said the dwellings data also highlighted “the huge economic benefits” that housebuilding was now creating, with every home built supporting an estimated 3.1 jobs “meaning the industry is now supporting over 700,000 jobs – almost 300,000 more than it was six years ago”.</span></p> <p><span>It also noted that the supply increases had generated a significant uplift in the financial contributions being made towards local infrastructure and amenities, as well as affordable housing provision. In 2017, it explained, housing schemes provided …