Fri 16 May 2008
Number of new homes fall by a quarter
There was an abrupt fall in the volume of new housing starts in Q1 2008, compared to the same period in 2007, according to the government.Government figures reveal that there were 32,100 new housing starts during the first three months of this year, down 24%, in the same quarter in 2007, and a fall of 21% on the final three months of last year.
The number of completions also fell during the same period, although at a lower rate of 18% on the previous year to 39,500.
Additional statistics released by the Communities department for the whole of 2007/8, shows that that there were only 156,400 starts in England in the period, down 10% on 2006/7, and fall of 18% on the peak of housing starts in 2005/6. Completions in 2007/8 fell marginally from 168,200 to 167,500.
Stewart Baseley (pictured), executive chairman of the HBF, commented: “These figures are further evidence of the deterioration in the housing market. While Wednesday’s announcements (Gordon Brown’s Queen's Speech) were welcomed, they do not go far enough and if further action is not taken, and taken quickly, in addition to the immediate threat to jobs then the government’s long term housing targets are in jeopardy.”
Posted by Marc Da-Silva
in Gordon Brown, Home Builders Federation (HBF), News, Stewart Baseley on Fri 16 May 2008
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