New home completions down 15% year-on-year in Northern Ireland

The number of new home completions in Northern Ireland has decreased by 15% for the three months to 30 eptember 2025 compared to same period last year.

New statistics published esterday revealed that 1,379 homes were completed in the third quarter, compared to 1,623 in 2024.

This figure includes 131 social housing units, which represents a 70% decrease from the same time last year.

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Northern Ireland attributed the “sharp drop” in total housing delivery to “critical constraints, including insufficient wastewater infrastructure capacity.”

Justin Cartwright, national director for CIH Northern Ireland, called the decline a “clear red flag” for the country’s immediate housing supply.

He said: “This trend is a growing concern for both social and private housing sectors, impacting the ability of the region to meet its increasing need for safe, affordable accommodation and putting further pressure on existing supply chains and house prices.”

However, the statistics for new home starts for Q3 2025 reached 1,576, representing a 3.5% increase compared with the same quarter last year.

This figure includes 221 social housing unit starts, up 40% from 158 in 2024.

Meanwhile, the four-quarter rolling average for starts indicated an accelerated growth rate, rising by 9.3% over the last year.

Cartwright added: “The underlying resilience in starts proves that the intent and drive within the sector is there. However, we are at a critical point where positive building intentions are being systematically hampered by infrastructure failure.

“The persistent issue of wastewater capacity – alongside protracted planning processes in some council areas and high costs – is creating an unacceptable bottleneck, preventing these growing numbers of starts from being converted into much-needed completed homes. We need urgent, targeted investment in our key infrastructure to unlock our housing supply.”