New homes registration levels continue to fall

There has been a further drop in housebuilding levels, according to the latest year-to-date figures for new home registrations in the UK produced by the National House Building Council (NHBC).

In August 2012, the number of new homes registered with NHBC dropped to 9,553, 4% below the same month last year (9,978 new homes) and taking overall year to date totals for 2012 to 72,740 applications; a 15% decrease on the same period in 2011 (85,120 new homes).

The NHBC's latest data is extremely disappointing due to the existing shortage of new homes in relation to high levels of demand. It is estimated that around 240,000 new homes need to be built each year to satisfy housing need and yet nowhere near half that level is being developed.

Richard Tamayo, NHBC Commercial Director, says: "Viewing new home registration figures in absolute terms, year to date, underlines the real scale of the challenge facing the whole house building industry at the moment. Just this month the government announced a series of measures aimed at supporting the housebuilding industry, in its capacity as a key driver for economic growth.

"These measures are certainly needed but their success will only be realised through a concerted effort by the industry and government to ensure they are taken forward. The continued undersupply of new housing means that the UK is missing out on a potential source of much needed economic growth; this obviously needs to be addressed."