Raising standards to protect homeowners
Build Levels Looking Up in Wales
NHBC's latest statistics show further signs of market improvement in the house building sector in Wales.
During the three months from August to October 2009, NHBC received 825 applications to build new homes in Wales - an increase of 20 per cent on the same period last year (690). This latest figure is also higher than the 745 registrations reported for the last rolling quarter, July to September 2009.
In particular, build levels in Merthyr Tydfil showed improvement with 95 registrations this rolling quarter compared with 4 during the same period last year. Equally, Carmarthenshire reported 104 registrations - an increase of 333 per cent on the same period last year.
Peter Watton, NHBC Director for Wales, said: "Despite regional fluctuations, the overall picture across Wales is one of steady improvement.
"Whilst the house building market in Wales still has a long way to go, it is encouraging to witness this stabilisation in applications and certainly gives hope that the situation is improving, even if it still difficult to judge exactly when the market will fully recover."
NHBC statistics for the three months to the end of October 2009 also show:
- Of the 825 applications to start new homes in the combined private and public sectors during the three months to the end of October 2009, 629 were related to private sector activity (i.e. excluding housing associations) - 34 per cent higher than the same three-month period a year ago (471).
- New build completions in the combined private and public sectors in Wales totalled 1,106 in the three months to the end of October 2009 - 6 per cent higher than the same period a year ago (1,046).
NHBC publishes a quarterly booklet of its new house-building statistics - subscribe here.
Ends
Note to editors:
(i) Full regional breakdown of new homes registered in Wales during August to October 2009 by unitary authority:
Unitary Authority |
August to October 2009 |
August to October 2008 |
Percentage Increase / (-) Decrease |
Blaenau Gwent |
0 |
1 |
-100% |
Bridgend |
47 |
39 |
21% |
Caerphilly |
33 |
12 |
175% |
Cardiff |
79 |
133 |
-41% |
Carmarthenshire |
104 |
24 |
333% |
Ceredigion |
2 |
0 |
N/A |
Conwy |
61 |
86 |
-29% |
Denbighshire |
20 |
72 |
-72% |
Flintshire |
50 |
61 |
-18% |
Gwynedd |
5 |
17 |
-71% |
Isle of Anglesey |
6 |
25 |
-76% |
Merthyr Tydfil |
95 |
4 |
2275% |
Monmouthshire |
20 |
21 |
-5% |
Neath Port Talbot |
43 |
21 |
105% |
Newport |
69 |
64 |
8% |
Pembrokeshire |
31 |
10 |
210% |
Powys |
9 |
30 |
-70% |
Rhondda Cynon Taff |
33 |
3 |
1000% |
Swansea |
63 |
15 |
320% |
Torfaen |
25 |
6 |
317% |
Vale of Glamorgan |
6 |
10 |
-40% |
Wrexham |
24 |
36 |
-33% |
Total |
825 |
690 |
20% |
NHBC is the leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes in the UK. It was established more than 73 years ago as a non-profit distributing company. NHBC's primary purpose is to help raise standards to protect homeowners. NHBC's ten-year 'Buildmark' warranty covers more than 80% of new homes built in the UK and currently protects approximately 1.6 million homes.
News Date: 24/11/09