The number of contracts for new social housing signed in the 12 months to February was 14% up on the previous year, figures released by the government last Thursday show.

But between December and February, orders slumped by 37% compared to September to October, say the Department of Trade and Industry statistics.

The ODPM would not comment on the figures, saying it looks only at starts and completions of social housing, which it publishes itself.

Its last available figures, for October to December 2004, show 4094 homes were started and 5109 completed in the quarter, compared with 2287 and 3240 respectively for the previous year.

Developers attributed the rise in completions to the extra government funding going into social housing. But they warned the sector had a lot of catching up to do because levels of social housebuilding have been at their lowest ever in recent years (HT 16 January 2003, page 15).

The Treasury-sponsored Barker review of housing supply last March said social housebuilding must double from 21,000 units a year to 45,000.

The ODPM wants to build 10,000 extra social homes a year by 2008.

Source

Housing Today