Housebuilder says underlying demand for new homes is 鈥渉igh鈥 despite the impending election

Planning Houses

The uncertainty surrounding the general election outcome 鈥渉as not impacted customer confidence鈥 in the housing market, Taylor Wimpey has said in a trading statement.

The housebuilder said during the first four months of 2015 it had seen the UK housing market 鈥渃ontinue to grow鈥 and underlying demand for new homes remained 鈥渉igh鈥 despite the impending election.

The firm鈥檚 order book increased in value to 拢1.9bn, up from 拢1.7bn at the end of 2014, with the average selling price of homes in the private order book up to 拢282,900, up from 拢249,100, although the number of homes in the order book overall decreased marginally to 8,200 homes, down from 8,231 homes.

Pete Redfern, chief executive of Taylor Wimpey, said: 鈥淒uring the first four months of 2015 we have seen the UK housing market continue to grow, with increasingly competitive mortgages and secure employment prospects underpinning homebuyers鈥 confidence.

We remain focused on progressing our sites through the planning system to enable us to start on site as soon as possible and remain on track to deliver good progress towards all of our medium term targets in 2015.鈥

The firm is holding its annual general meeting today.