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Statistical Release: House Building: October to December Quarter 2007

Published	14 February 2008

This statistical release presents figures on new house building starts and completions in England and its regions up to the quarter ending December 2007. Tables for the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also included. (Detailed figures are presented in the accompanying Excel tables.)

Starts and Completions in England

In England, during the quarter to December 2007, there were around 37,900 starts, down 10 per cent on the equivalent quarter in 2006 and continuing the downward trend that began in the June quarter 2006. Completions numbered 48,500, up 15 per cent on the same period in 2006. This is the highest number of completions in a December quarter since 1988.

The trends are shown in Chart 1 and Table A. (So as to smooth any seasonal effects, the underlying figures are the 'rolling' total over twelve months to each successive quarter.)

Starts increased from a low of 141,700 in 2000/01 to a peak of 184,900 in 2005/06 and have since declined despite a short term pause in the quarter to September 2007. The estimate of starts for 2007 stood at 166,900, a decline of 6 per cent in comparison with 2006.

Completions increased from 129,900 in 2001/02 to 163,400 in 2005/06. The upward trend has been maintained in 2007 with each quarter showing increases in completions.  Completions for 2007 stood at 174,900, the highest level in 18 years.

Chart 1: Trends in Starts and completions (England)

Table A: Trends in Starts and Completions (12 month rolling total)

Year	Quarter	Starts	Completions
2005	June	175,832	157,456
2005	September	175,239	155,475
2005	December	177,129	159,454
2006	March	184,906	163,398
2006	June	182,930	165,621
2006	September	178,304	165,318
2006	December	177,904	160,761
2007	March	173,382	167,577
2007	June	169,194	167,992
2007	September	171,269	168,677
2007	December	166,874	174,868

Regional Trends

Trends in starts and completions in the English Regions are shown in Charts 2-5 and Tables B and C.

The downward trend in starts during 2007 is mainly driven by decreases in the East Midlands, North West, South West and London. The East of England and South East show flat trends for the number of starts.

The continued upward trend in completions during 2007 is mainly due to increases in the South West, South East, East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber and North East.

Trends

The following charts illustrate the trends in starts and completions through use of a 'rolling twelve month total' (note 4)). 

• Chart 2 Starts by region (North and Midlands)
• Chart 3 Completions by region (North and Midlands)
• Chart 4 Starts by region (South)
• Chart 5 Completions by region (South)

Chart 2: Trends in Starts by region (North and Midlands)

Chart 3: Trends in Completions by region (North and Midlands)

Chart 4: Trends in Starts by region (London and South)

Chart 5: Trends in Completions by region (London and South)

Tables (in Excel)

• Table B: Trends in Starts by Region (MS Excel, 15 kb)
• Table C: Trends in Completions by Region (MS Excel, 16 kb)

Notes to editors

1. The starts and completions are for new house building and exclude conversions and change of use.

2. Figures are presented for financial years and calendar years by quarter.

3. Sources are shown at the foot of individual tables.

4. The charts give trends in house building by showing a rolling twelve month total.

5. Figures for England in Table 1a are shown as unadjusted and seasonally adjusted series. All figures for other countries and English regions are shown on an unadjusted basis only.

6. The Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) category includes dwellings built for housing associations and Local Housing Companies that are registered with the Housing Corporation and also for unregistered social landlords.

7. Figures on housing starts and completions are from records kept for building control purposes. It is sometimes difficult for data providers to identify whether a dwelling is being built for a housing association or for a private developer. This may lead to an understatement of Registered Social Landlords starts and completions recorded in these tables, and a corresponding overstatement of private enterprise figures. This problem is more likely to occur with starts than completions.

8. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs.

9. The tables and charts accompanying this release are shown below in the Table of Contents. Tables are provided in MS Excel. The charts are provided in MS Excel and are also included in the text.

10. The data in this statistics release are subject to revisions in subsequent quarterly releases.

11.  The next quarterly release will be published in May 2008 and will cover housebuilding up to January to March quarter 2008.

Table of contents (in Excel)

Download: Table - House Building: October to December Quarter 2007 (MS Excel, 410 kb)

Tables:

1a Housebuilding starts and completions, including seasonally adjusted series: England;
1b Housebuilding starts and completions unadjusted: North East
1c Housebuilding starts and completions unadjusted: North West
1d Housebuilding starts and completions unadjusted: Yorkshire and the Humber
1e Housebuilding starts and completions unadjusted: East Midlands
1f Housebuilding starts and completions unadjusted: West Midlands
1g Housebuilding starts and completions unadjusted: East of England
1h Housebuilding starts and completions unadjusted: London
1j Housebuilding starts and completions unadjusted: South East
1k Housebuilding starts and completions unadjusted: South West
2a Housebuilding starts and completions: Wales;
2b Housebuilding starts and completions: Scotland;
2c Housebuilding starts and completions: Great Britain;
2d Housebuilding starts and completions: Northern Ireland;
2e Housebuilding starts and completions: United Kingdom;

Charts (rolling twelve month trends):

1 Starts and Completions (England) Trends;
2 Starts by region (North and Midlands) Trends; 
3 Completions by region (North and Midlands) Trends;
4 Starts by region (South) Trends;
5 Completions by region (South) Trends

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