Private sector homes registrations fall by a fifth

The number of affordable new homes registered in August 2019 rose by 17%, but the number of new private-sector homes registered in the same period fell by 20%.

According to the National House-Building Council (NHBC) 3,875 new homes were registered in the affordable and rental sector last month, while private sector home registrations fell by a fifth to 8,420.

And for the three months to the end of August 40,213 new homes were registered, down 5% year-on-year.

Across the three-month period affordable and rental homes registrations rose 4% to 12,418, while private homes registrations fell 8% to 27,795.

Regionally the eastern part of England reported the largest increase in new homes registrations in the three months to the end of August, up by 9% to 4,273.

The largest decline seen in England was in the South-west, where registrations fell by 22% to 3,232.

Scotland saw a 14% decrease to 2,905 new homes registered, while in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man the decline was 37% to 1,238.

NHBC chief executive Steve Wood said: “The slowdown in overall registrations in August seems to be partly due to prevailing uncertainties in this pre-Brexit period.

“Nonetheless, it is encouraging to see growth coming through in the affordable and rental sector.”