Signs of life in housebuilding as housing starts rise 6% in second quarter
The number of housing starts in England rose 6% in the second quarter of this year, and 7% year-on-year, the latest official figures have shown.
The Department for Communities and Local Government statistics (attached right) showed housing starts in England rose 6% to 29,510 in the second quarter of the year compared to the first quarter, with completions up 9% to 27,270.
Private housing starts were 7% quarter-on-quarter, but starts by housing associations were 3% lower.
Private completions rose 11% and housing association completions increased by 3% quarter-on-quarter.
Overall housing starts are now 73% above the trough in the March quarter 2009 but 40% below the March quarter 2007 peak.
Completions are 44% below their March quarter 2007 peak.
Over the 12 months to June 2013, housing starts rose 7% to 110,530 compared with the year before.
Annual housing completions in England totalled 106,820 in the 12 months to June 2013, a fall of 9% on the previous 12 months.
Rhian Kelly, CBI director for business environment policy, said: 鈥淭hese are early signs of a pick-up but we need to put it in perspective.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been falling woefully short of building the homes we need for decades. There鈥檚 huge pent-up demand which is just not being met 鈥 from first-time buyers and from second-steppers looking to get on the next rung of the ladder.鈥
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