Q2 2005 new house building statistics Northern Ireland 14/02/06

House-building activity in Northern Ireland increased during the second quarter of 2005 according to statistics released today by NHBC. NHBC figures for Northern Ireland, reveal that a total of 2,904 applications were made to start new homes during the quarter, showing a nine per cent increase on the same period in 2004 (2,661).

In Northern Ireland the average anticipated selling price of new homes (registered with NHBC) during the second quarter of 2005 was £136,000, a 13 per cent increase on the second quarter of 2004 (£120,000). Based on actual selling prices, the proportion of homes sold for over £100,000 was 64 per cent, an increase on the same period last year (54 per cent).

Tom Kirk, NHBC Director for Northern Ireland, says: "Despite a drop in the number of applications to start new homes in Northern Ireland in the first quarter of this year, our statistics show that the total number of new homes started this year are just slightly below last year's figures. So far, 5,377 new homes have been started this year in Northern Ireland, 2 per cent below the figure for the same period last year (5,498)."

NHBC's first time buyers' ability to buy index decreased by 12 points during the quarter to 57 (the revised figure for quarter one, 2005 was 69). 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 47,369 applications to start new homes during the second quarter of 2005, showing a four per cent increase on the same period in 2004 (45,375). Of that total, 39,447 relate to private sector activity (i.e. excluding housing associations), showing little change on the same quarter of 2004 (39,457). Housing association starts totalled 7,922 - an increase of 34 per cent on quarter two of 2004 (5,918).

The figure for the average daily sales of new homes in the UK for the second quarter of 2005 was 544, a decrease of 11 percent on the same period in 2004 (611).

Quarter 2 2005 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.