Number of new build home registrations last year was highest since 2007
More new homes were registered in 2019 across the UK than in any other year since 2007, according to an industry body.
Last year, 161,022 new homes were registered with the NHBC (National House Building Council).
It makes 2019 the strongest year for new home registrations with the NHBC since 2007 when 198,693 were recorded.
The NHBC is a warranty and insurance provider.
Homes are covered from before they are built, meaning the figures are an indication of new housing supply in the pipeline.
The NHBC said annual new build registrations have surged by more than 80% over the past decade – with just 88,849 recorded in 2009.
Between 2010 and 2019, 1.4 million new homes were registered to be built across the UK.
Compared with a year earlier, the number of homes registered in 2019 was up by 1%.
The year-on-year increase was driven by a 37% uplift in London and a 17% increase in the West Midlands. Scotland also recorded a 1% upswing.
Several other parts of the UK, including northern England, the South West of England and Wales saw annual falls in new build registrations.
The figures edged up overall despite wider economic and political uncertainty over Brexit.
NHBC chief executive Steve Wood said: “It is great to see the resilience of house builders over the 2019 year.”
He said the body is committed to working with house builders as the industry faces “the skills, supply chain and environmental challenges in front of us”.
Here are the numbers of new build homes registered across the UK in 2019, according to the NHBC and the percentage change compared with 2018:
North East, 5,828, minus 9%
North West, 16,210, minus 10%
Yorkshire and the Humber, 9,844, minus 12%
West Midlands, 15,496, 17%
East Midlands, 12,895, minus 1%
Eastern England, 19,110, 8%
South West England, 12,725, minus 11%
London, 21,726, 37%
South East England, 25,496, minus 5%
Scotland, 12,268, 1%
Wales, 4,769, minus 12%
Northern Ireland and Isle of Man, 4,655, minus 4%
