New homes boom helps to build the recovery

By  James Edgar

The number of homes built in Britain last year was the highest since the start of the economic downturn in 2007. 

Figures show 133,670 homes were built in 2013, a 28 per cent increase on 2012. 

The National House Building Council (NHBC) said the recovery was becoming increasingly “broad-based” rather than being concentrated only in London. 

The figures were welcomed by the Coalition, as house-building is key to accelerating the construction industry and boosting the economy. 

New homes are also essential to help ease the housing crisis, with an estimated 250,000 homes needed to be built each year to meet demand. In 2007, the figure was 200,000. 

The NHBC said it was seeing “a genuine return to confidence” in the industry as schemes such as Help to Buy got into full swing. 

Every region in the UK, apart from Wales, saw a year-on-year increase in the number of homes being registered with the NHBC. 

In England, the number of new-build registrations was up by 30 per cent on 2012, reaching 117,969. In London, 26,230 homes were registered, a 60 per cent rise and the highest since records began more than 26 years ago. 

Kris Hopkins, the housing minister, said: “The excellent figures are further evidence that our long-term economic plan is working.”