New home registrations in Q2 2016 totalled 41,222, marking the strongest quarter since 2007, according to NHBC’s latest figures.
The figures were a 1% lift on Q2 2015. Private sector registrations across the UK climbed 6% to 31,753 new homes, whilst the public and affordable housing sector saw a 13% drop to 9,469. The pre-EU referendum uncertainty had not impacted Q2 statistics, commented NHBC’s ceo Mike Quinton.
At the same time, the Q2 figures conveyed a “mixed picture” across the country, NHBC said. Half of the 12 UK regions showed increases in registrations, including the South East with a rise of 37% and the North East at 34% growth against the same period last year. The other half experienced falls in numbers, for example Wales at -30% and London -29%.
But new home completions for the rolling 12 months of July 2015 to June 2016 showed growth in almost all regions, at a 6% overall increase compared to the previous 12 months. This reflected the robust registration growth seen in recent years, NHBC said.
Mike Quinton commented: “Our latest statistics show that the industry continues to consolidate on the strong growth in registrations seen over recent years.
“These registrations reflect continued industry confidence in the run-up to the EU referendum at the end of June. Indeed, this period was the strongest quarter since Q4 2007, albeit still some way off levels seen over a decade ago.”
Commenting on housing activity since the referendum result, HBF’s director of economic affairs John Stewart said that in the past three weeks, there had been a “bounceback”, with reservations “level pegging with a year ago”.
“The evidence on the ground is that housebuilders are carrying on in market terms. They’ll be looking at what happens next month and in September.”
