<p>New home registrations fell 40% in the first quarter of 2023 against the same period in 2022 according to the latest data from NHBC, with those for the private sector seeing the greatest decline at 49% down.</p> <p>During Q1, the number of new homes registered to be built in the UK totalled 27,673. In the private sector, registrations for the period totalled 17,953; those for the affordable and build to rent sector saw a more modest drop of 11% to 9,720. </p> <p>NHBC said there was some indication of a “shift towards affordability” in registrations, as some schemes originally destined for private sale had been block sold to housing associations and other providers.</p> <p>And there was further evidence of a concentration on the affordable end of the market, it commented, with terraced homes and apartments accounting for a larger proportion of the market in Q1 than the same period last year. Meanwhile, the number of detached homes being built halved compared to Q1 2022, at 8,041 in Q1 2023.</p> <p>“Emerging from the pandemic we saw record numbers of registrations for detached homes but now with pressures on family finances it is no surprise that the present focus has shifted towards …