The National House Building Council (NHBC) is putting renewed pressure on the government to keep up house building numbers after data showed a trail-off at the end of 2011.
The total number of new homes built in 2011 was just 115,020, slightly down on the 115,458 registered in 2010, which disappointed the NHBC. Despite calls to increase house building in order to reduce the housing shortage being felt around the country, the number registered in 2011 was drastically down on pre-recession high of 200,7000 recorded in 2007.
NHBC’s Chief Executive, Imtiaz Farookhi, said, “Independent reports predict housing shortfalls over the coming years and a decline in the wider construction sector during 2012. Such figures are therefore a cause for concern and place even greater pressure on the successful delivery of the Government’s Housing Strategy.”
The number built in the final quarter of 2011 was down to 21,152, significantly less than the 27,626 registered in the same period the year before, showing the shortfall worsened as the year progressed.