There has been a dramatic rise in planning permissions for new homes across England in another indicator that the housing market is strengthening.
Figures from the House Builders' Federation show that planning permission was granted for 52,534 new homes in the final quarter of last year, the highest quarterly total since the first quarter of 2008, after which housebuilders reined in because of the downturn.
In detail the figures show:
- Q4 permissions were up 19 per cent on the previous quarter;
- full-year 2013 permissions were up 24 per cent on 2012 and 51 per cent on 2011;
- 885 sites were granted approval, the highest quarterly total since Q1 2008;
- 51 per cent more permissions were granted in 2013 than at the trough' in 2011.
But the HBF admits that much of this recent surge is down confidence based on the success of Help To Buy, and the organisation strikes a warning note to the government.
The HBF says Help To Buy is delivering 2,500 reservations a month but its success demonstrates clearly why Government needs to start planning now to ensure it phases out the scheme is a way that is sensitive to the prevailing economic climate, doesn't damage the market and threaten momentum says a federation spokesman.
The government plans to end Help To Buy in April 2016.
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Comments
Oh, Mr Norwood - how short a memory you have!
Only on January 31 did you bash out var-nigh identical hype (or should that read TRIPE) - that time courtesy of the NHBC's spin.
The same comment applies - so I shall shamelessly cut'n'paste as follows:
Prime example of statistics fuelling headlines that simply aren't there.
Here's a surprise revelation - at least to whoever banged out the above MDT about a 'recovery'.
Builders... wait for it... build. It's what they do. If they DON'T do it - then the name 'builder' no longer describes their business.
Developers have sat on thousands of unstarted plots now for years, in the hope that the market would change. They can only do so for so long - planning laws dictate commencement of a development within three years - and the implementation of an 'extension' turned into a joke due to the virtually impossible requirement for the 'old' permission to meet updated legislation (NPPF).
Therefore... developments need to be kicked off and homes need to be brought out of the ground.
The increased numbers of starts are the result - NOTHING to do with a "recovery". Shareholders want to see something happening. It's a case of build THEN worry about selling - NOT the wonderful 'build to order' halcyon days.
More to do with MDs keeping their jobs, I'm afraid...