New home registrations up in Q1

The number of new homes registered with NHBC in the first three months of the year reached more than 37,500 – a 3% increase on the same period in 2018.

37,672 new homes were registered to be built compared to 36,508 last year. However within this the private sector was down by 6% (26,841 from 28,554 in 2018) with the affordable and rental sector up 36% (10,831 from 7,954 in 2018).

NHBC reported that the overall increase, despite the ongoing Brexit uncertainty, is partly due to the low levels seen in the corresponding period 12 months ago when the “Beast from the East” caused severe disruption on sites across the country.

Seven of the 12 regions saw overall increases in year on year registrations in the first quarter with London leading the way on +58% boosted by a number of large schemes being registered at the start of this year. For private sector homes, seven regions were down year on year with the North West & Merseyside 32% below Q1 2018.

Looking ahead, however, NHBC said April’s figures were “very strong”, with increases in private and affordable home registrations.

NHBC said that the rise in the affordable and rental registration numbers in Q1 …