House starts nearly 20% down
- Published: 21 August 2008 16:01
- Author: David Blackman
- More by this Author
- Last Updated: 21 August 2008 16:01
House building levels have fallen by nearly a fifth over the past year, new government figures show.
The Department for Communities and Local Government's latest quarterly residential development bulletin estimates that 33,400 homes were started in England between April and June.
This figure was 2% higher than that recorded in the first three months of this year but 19% below the number recorded over the equivalent period in 2007.
The decline was steepest in the private house builders which recorded a 27% fall compared to the quarter ending June 2007.
By contrast, housing starts by registered social landlords have risen 56% over the same period, representing the highest quarterly level in 11 years.
Annual housing starts figures for England also continued to decline, totalling 147,500 in the 12 months to June 2008, down 12% compared with the same period a year ago and almost 20% below their 2005/06 peak.
Commenting on the figures, Liberal Democrat shadow communities and local government secretary Julia Goldsworthy said: "With house building hitting rock bottom, this Government's centralised housing targets are beginning to look like nothing more than a pipe-dream.
