New home starts inch up

The number of new homes registered for construction in Britain last year reached the highest level since 2007. New home registrations rose by 1% in 2019 to 161,022, the National House-Building Council (NHBC) said. London was the strongest performing region, with new registrations up 37% in 2019, while the figure went down in all other parts of the UK except central and eastern England, and Scotland. Official data showed a 2% increase in total construction, which includes commercial and infrastructure projects and maintenance, as well as homes. The number of affordable or rental homes rose 13% to 48,936, while the build-to-rent sector registrations were up 57% compared to 2018. Some 150,436 homes were completed last year, up 0.5% from 2018.

Daily Mail (05/02/20) The Guardian (05/02/20) The I (05/02/20)