Simon Rubinsohn, RICS Chief Economist, comments on DCLG housing building figures for the June quarter 2012:
“These figures demonstrate the widening scale of the problem in delivering sufficient new housing.
“Starts in England in the second quarter of the year dropped to just 21,540, the lowest figure since the second quarter of 2009. This decline in activity was visible both amongst private sector developers and housing associations.
“The paltry number of new starts over the last three months is barely one-third of what is generally accepted as the required number to meet the growing level of demand across the country and suggests that government measures taken to date including the New Homes Bonus is having little impact.
“There was speculation earlier this week about government measures to relax planning rules on affordable housing and it’s clear something bold is desperately needed to address the current housing crisis.”
