More new homes registered this year than last, latest figures show

House building activity this year is on track to top levels seen in 2014, according to an industry body.

A total of 106,887 new homes have been registered across the UK with the National House Building Council (NHBC), a warranty and insurance provider, between the start of 2015 and the end of August.

This is higher than the 95,524 new-build registrations taking place during the same period in 2014.

While the NHBC has not given a prediction for the total number of new homes it expects to see registered this year, 2014 was the strongest year for housebuilding since 2007.

The NHBC registered 145,174 new homes across the whole of 2014, up 9% on 2013.

The body's registration figures are taken from builders who are responsible for around 80% of homes constructed in the UK.

Builders are required to register a house with the NHBC before starting work, which means its figures represent homes that are to be built in the months ahead.

Despite the improving figures, the NHBC said registrations were slightly down in August, by 6%, compared with a year earlier, marking the first time since January that this year's monthly figures have fallen compared with the corresponding month in 2014.

NHBC chief executive Mike Quinton said: "We are now seeing registration volumes fall in the public and affordable sector after a good start to the year.

"This may be due to housing associations holding back on developments in the light of welfare reforms and the cap on rental increases."

The average yearly total for the number of registrations taking place over the past four decades has been 153,000.

The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) reported on Wednesday that the number of properties for sale had plunged to an 11-year low, warning that the market was reaching "crisis point".