In Scotland the average anticipated selling price of new homes (started by NHBC registered builders) during the first quarter of 2006 was £173,000, a one percent decrease on quarter one of 2005 (£174,000). Based on actual selling prices, the proportion of new homes priced at over £150,000 went up to 59 per cent, an increase on the same period in 2005 (55 per cent).

Malcolm MacLeod, NHBC Director for Scotland, says: "There was a terrific amount of house-building activity in Scotland during the first quarter of this year. Our latest statistics show that the number of applications to start new homes increased by almost a quarter on the same period a year ago, and almost two thirds on quarter four of last year."

NHBC's first time buyers' ability to buy index increased by one point during the quarter to 64 (the figure for quarter four 2005 was 63). The index is based on a formula which takes into account the average cost of homes bought by first time buyers, average income and mortgage interest rates (from the Nationwide Building Society). The higher the index, the greater the ability to buy.

UK-wide figures (including the Isle of Man) show a total of 52,140 applications to start new homes during the first quarter of 2006, showing a 13 per cent increase on the same period in 2005 (46,308). Of that total, 45,823 relate to private sector activity (i.e. excluding housing associations), showing a 17 per cent increase on the same quarter of 2005 (39,200). Housing association starts totalled 6,317, a decrease of 11 per cent on quarter one of 2005 (7,108).

NHBC UK figures (including the Isle of Man) show there were 40,268 new build completions during the first quarter of 2006, showing a 17 per cent increase on the same quarter last year (34,415).

The average number of daily sales of new homes in the UK for quarter one 2006 was 571, an increase of 11 per cent on the same period in 2005 (515).

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Q1 2006 Regional Figures

Note to editors:

• NHBC statistics are based almost exclusively on information relating to its 19,000 (approx.) registered house builders who construct about 85% of the new homes built in the UK. As such they represent a unique source of detailed, up-to-date information on new home construction and the house building industry.