Continued increase in new Scottish home registrations

Councils registered a total of 3,313 new homes between July and September in 2015, compared to 3,060 homes over the same period last year.

The NHBC figures also revealed that 9,737 homes were registered in Scotland since the beginning of the year to September compared to 8,163 homes from January to September in 2014.

Statistics for the UK fell marginally by 2 per cent during Q3 when compared to the same period last year.

However, the overall year-to-date figures up to and including September show that the number of new homes registered with NHBC is 9 per cent higher than this time last year (117,525; 108,118 in 2014).

In total 36,219 new homes were registered in Q3 compared to 36,955 a year ago. The private sector is static at -1 per cent (28,527; 28,906 in 2014), with the public sector down by 4 per cent (7,692; 8,049 in 2014).

The new statistics also show that London reported a 25 per cent rise in the number of new homes registered during Q3 (7,289; 5,812 in Q3 2014). On a national level Northern Ireland (+39 per cent) and Wales (+4 per cent) all enjoyed a positive quarter when compared to the same period last year.

However, in England several regions reported a reduction in the number of registrations for the quarter. However, year to date figures show growth in ten out of the twelve regions in the UK.

Commenting on the new registration statistics, NHBC chief executive, Mike Quinton, said: “Despite the marginal drop in housing registrations this quarter, 2015 is still promising to be a strong year for new housing growth in the UK. Our year-to-date figures show that registrations in both the private and public sector are ahead of last year.

“The industry remains upbeat and is working hard to build the number of homes our country so desperately needs, despite the pressures associated with rapid growth.”