New house-building slows by 8% despite government target
Public demand for new-build homes seems to be in decline
The number of new homes started by builders between January and March is down 8% on the same period in 2017, a worry for a government which has pledged to increase housebuilding.
In the first quarter of this year, construction began on 39,350 new homes in England, says The Times. That is 8% fewer than the 42,740 homes started in the first quarter of 2017.
The figure is also 5% lower than the last three months of last year, when 41,440 new houses were started.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The drop-off is partly because of the bad weather earlier this year, which halted construction in many areas. However, there are other reasons to believe the number of new builds is falling, says the paper. Sales of new-build homes fell by 2.8% in the year to the end of November, and the Home Builders Federation says both site visits and reservations for new-builds are in decline.
The Government has promised to be building 300,000 new homes per year by the mid 2020s. That would be the biggest annual increase in housing since 1970.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The mental health crisis affecting vets
Under The Radar Death of Hampshire vet highlights mental health issues plaguing the industry
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Onion is having a very ironic laugh with Infowars
The Explainer The satirical newspaper is purchasing the controversial website out of bankruptcy
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Rahmbo, back from Japan, will be looking for a job? Really?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Why baby boomers and retirees are ditching Florida for Appalachia
The Explainer The shift is causing a population spike in many rural Appalachian communities
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The pros and cons of new-builds
Pros and Cons More options for first-time buyers and lower bills are offset by ‘new-build premium’ and the chance of delays
By The Week Staff Published
-
How the Grenfell tragedy changed the UK
feature Six years on since the government vowed to ‘learn lessons’ has sufficient progress been made?
By Rebekah Evans Published
-
Pros and cons of building on the green belt
Pros and Cons More housing and lower house prices must be weighed against urban sprawl and conservation concerns
By The Week Staff Published
-
The pros and cons of rent freezes
Pros and Cons Proponents say rent controls provide stability for tenants, but critics claim they won’t fix the housing crisis
By Julia O'Driscoll Published
-
Sport on TV guide: Christmas 2022 and New Year listings
Speed Read Enjoy a feast of sporting action with football, darts, rugby union, racing, NFL and NBA
By Mike Starling Published
-
Pros and cons of shared ownership
Pros and Cons Government-backed scheme can help first-time buyers on to the property ladder but has risks
By The Week Staff Published
-
Affordability test scrapped: what ‘huge’ mortgage rule change means for buying a house
Talking Point Bank of England cuts red tape on mortgage approval process despite soaring inflation
By The Week Staff Published