New build housing completions at three year high

25 Nov 2014 12:31 PM

A National Statistics Publication for Scotland

A total of 4,583 new homes were completed in Scotland in April – June 2014, the highest quarterly figure since the final quarter of 2010 and 29% higher than in the same quarter last year. This brought the number of new build completions for the year to end June 2014 to 15,824, up by 15% on the 13,791 completed in the previous year.

The increase in the latest quarter was driven by a rise in the number of private sector led new build completions which rose to 3,676, an increase of 1,150 homes (46%) compared to the same quarter in the previous year. Meanwhile the number of new housing association homes fell by 47 (7%) compared to the same quarter in 2013 and new local authority homes also decreased in this period by 59 (19%).

The number of new houses built in the year to end June 2014 remains well below pre-recession levels, and is 38% below the figure of 25,503 homes recorded in the year to end June 2007.

Updated housing statistics have been released today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician. These include information on new house building, the Affordable Housing Supply Programme and public sector house sales.

The key points from the data are as follows:

New build housing

All Sectors

• There were 4,583 new build homes completed between April and June 2014; 29% up on the same quarter in 2013 and 23% above the quarterly average since 2011. This brings the total for the year to end June 2014 to 15,824, up 15% (2,033 homes) compared to the 13,791 completed in the previous year.
• There were 3,492 new build homes started between April and June 2014; 5% down on the 3,679 started in the same quarter in 2013 and slightly (1%) below the quarterly average since 2011. This brings the total for the year to end June 2014 to 15,106 which is up by 13% (1,736 homes) compared to the 13,370 homes started in the previous year.

Private Sector

• Between April and June 2014, 3,676 private sector homes were completed; 44% above the quarterly average since 2011. This brings the total for the year to end June 2014 to 11,879 – up by 23% (2,188 homes) on the 9,691 completions in the previous year.
• There were 3,026 private sector led starts between April and June 2014, 13% above the quarterly average since 2011 and the second highest number since April to June 2008. This brings the total for the year to end June 2014 to 11,671, 16% (1,583 homes) higher than the 10,088 starts in the previous year.

Social Housing (Housing Association and Local Authority combined)

• There were 907 social housing completions between April and June 2014; 10% down on the same quarter in 2013. This brings the total for the year to end June 2014 to 3,945. This is a decrease of 4% on the 4,100 completions the previous year.
• Meanwhile 466 social sector homes were started between April and June 2014; 47% down on the same quarter in 2013. This brings the total for the 12 months to end June 2014 to 3,435 which is 5% more than the 3,282 started in the previous year.

Housing Association Homes

• There were 659 housing association completions between April and June 2014; 7% down on the same quarter in 2013. This brings the total for the year to end June 2014 to 2,864. This is a 7% (203 homes) decrease on the 3,067 completions the previous year.
• There were 197 housing association approvals between April and June 2014; 64% down on the same quarter in 2013. This brings the total for the year to end June 2014 to 2,525. This is a 22% (460 homes) increase on the 2,065 approvals in the previous year.

Local Authority Homes

• There were 248 local authority completions between April and June 2014; 19% down on the same quarter in 2013. This brings the total for the year to end June 2014 to 1,081. This is a 5% (48 homes) increase on the 1,033 completions the previous year.
• There were 269 local authority starts between April and June 2014; 18% down on the same quarter in 2013 This brings the total for the year to end June 2014 to 910. This is a 25% (307 homes) decrease on the 1,217 starts in the previous year.

Affordable Housing Completions

Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) statistics reflect the broader supply of affordable homes (i.e. for social rent, affordable rent and affordable home ownership) and include off the shelf purchases and rehabilitations as well as new build.

• The latest information, for the year to end September 2014, shows that approvals are up 12% on the previous 12 months to 7,107 while starts are up 53% on the previous 12 months at 7,094. Completions are running at 6,326 for the year to end September 2014, down 9% on the previous 12 months. This include an increase in affordable rent (up by 17% or 131 homes), and a decrease in social rent (down by 18% or 804 homes) whilst affordable home ownership completions have remained steady (up by 1% or 11 homes).

Right to Buy Applications and Sales

• Following the announcement of the end of Right to Buy in July 2013 the number of applications and the number of sales both increased compared to the same quarter the previous year. The most recent figures available are for April – June 2014. During this period there were 886 Right to Buy applications (26% higher than in the same quarter the previous year) and 335 sales (46% higher).

The figures released today were produced by independent statistical staff free from any political interference, in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Notes To Editors

The publication, containing details of new house building the Affordable Housing Supply Programme and sales of social sector housing, can be found at this address: www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/01131

whilst the web tables associated with this publication can be found as follows:

New build and AHSP tables: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/NewBuild

Local Authority house sales: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/Sales

An explanatory document providing background information on the statistics is also available.

The new build, AHSP and sales tables are updated each quarter. A range of other statistics are updated annually and are available on the Housing Statistics for Scotland website:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS

Housing Association and most Local Authority led new build activity is funded through Scottish Government funding programmes. Several changes to these funding programmes in recent years have affected both the trends and seasonal quarterly pattern of new build approvals, so care should be taken when making comparisons over time. These same changes will also impact on the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

The supply statistics break down new build construction activity into private and social sector starts and completions, with the social sector further broken down between local authority and registered social landlord (housing association). The figures are as recorded by Local Authority admin systems and the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) admin system. Private sector construction activity includes not only homes built for private sale but also some homes which are used in the affordable housing sector and self-build activity by local builders.

Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/About