Date Published 28 January 2021
Figures published in January 2021 show a 111 per cent increase in house building in England from July to September 2020 compared with the previous quarter. Data for the same period also show a quarterly rise of 185 per cent more dwellings completed.
The statistics published on the UK Government website show 35,710 houses were started during the third quarter of 2020, while 45,000 homes were completed during this time. The Government states the activity was made possible through measures supporting the housing market and construction industry during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Government support for homebuilding has included:
• Proposals to change the planning system in the UK.
• £20 billion of investment in new housing, including over £12billion of investment in affordable housing and the £7.1 billion National Home Building Fund
• £400 million Brownfield Fund for seven Mayoral Combined Authorities, with the aim to build 26,000 homes.
• Measures including flexible construction site working hours for builders and extending certain planning permissions.
• A temporary cut to property tax
The figures show that the number of new homes developers have started building have more than doubled compared to the previous quarter and the number of completed homes has almost tripled. This reflects the government's commitment throughout the pandemic to support industry to enable construction sites to remain open and operate safely.
We extended planning permission deadlines and flexible working hours on sites so that builders, architects, and developers have been able to continue working while following public health advice. In turn, this has protected millions of jobs, from builders, through to estate agents and carpenters.
The housing industry is key to our economic recovery, which is why we are investing £12 billion in affordable housing, providing £400 million to build more homes on brownfield land, and investing £7.1 billion for a new National Home Building Fund over the next 4 years, unlocking up to 860,000 homes.
Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP, Housing Secretary
