London output stricken by Gateway 2 delays and focus on affordable home upgrades<\/h3>\n
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Across the UK, developers registered 29,356 new homes to be built in Q1 2025 \u2013 a 36% jump on the same period last year.<\/p>\n \n NHBC said the improved registrations were being fuelled by improving mortgage rates, lower inflation, and government promises of planning reform and infrastructure investment.<\/p>\n Private housebuilders led the way with a 62% surge in registrations, especially for low-rise homes. Detached house starts were up 63% and bungalows rose 54% as developers shifted focus away from flats.<\/p>\n NHBC chief executive Steve Wood said: \u201cAlthough we can be distracted by global factors that continue to unsettle markets, the easing of inflation, lower mortgage rates, greater availability of lower deposit mortgages and a strong start to spring sales all point to improving prospects in UK house building.<\/p>\n \n “This is particularly true for low-rise housing and for regions outside London which are less affected by the delays in approvals from the Building Safety Regulator where the new gateway system is still bedding in.<\/p>\n Housing association activity in the capital also dipped, with many focusing budgets on maintaining and upgrading existing stock rather than starting new builds.<\/p>\n Despite London\u2019s woes, completions across the UK held steady at 26,120 \u2013 just 1% down on last year \u2013 and NHBC said growing confidence should feed through to improved housing supply over time.<\/p>\n \n The latest NHBC figures coincide with research from the G15 group of large housing associations in London.<\/p>\n They warn there has been a catastrophic 66% drop the number of new affordable homes being built in the last two years.<\/p>\n The G15 is now calling for swift action in the face of a deepening housing crisis.<\/p>\n According to its findings, just 4,708 new home builds started in 2024\u201325, down from 13,744 two years earlier.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The G15 is calling for full access to the Building Safety Fund for housing associations ensuring parity with private sector landlords for vital safety works and a 10-year rent settlement to provide long-term certainty for planning and investment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.constructionenquirer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot-2025-05-13-at-11.12.39.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\nApartment building sinks to lowest level seen<\/h3>\n
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