But northern housebuilder says no great improvement in housing market

Northern housebuilder MJ Gleeson has increased sales since the start of the year by 43% on the same period in 2010.

In an interim management statement to the City, the public and social housebuilder, which last year sold its remaining contracting businesses, said site visitors had increased by 10% and private sales were up 20% on last year’s figures.

It has also bought 460 plots since the start of the year, and said it was in the process of buying a further 1,089.

The firm said: “While the government’s recently announced initiatives to support first time buyers are welcome, there is unlikely to be a significant improvement in the state of the housing market until mortgage finance becomes much more readily available.

“The board remains confident that a very disciplined approach to land acquisition in the north of England, coupled with an exceptionally rigorous control of construction costs, is laying a very firm foundation on which to build the continuing growth of Gleeson Regeneration and Homes.”