Applications to build new homes across the UK increased by a small percentage from February to April, according to new figures...

NHBC statistics show that 51,465 new homes were started in the three months, a four per cent increase on the same three month period a year ago (49,300).

Of that total, 41,736 related to private sector activity (excluding housing associations), showing a two per cent decrease on the same period in 2006 (42,658).

Housing association volumes increased by almost half in the three months to the end of April this year with starts totalling 9,729, an increase of 46 per cent on the same period a year ago (6,642).

Modest increase

Imtiaz Farookhi, NHBC Chief Executive, said: "There was a modest increase in house-building activity during the three months to the end of April compared to the same period last year.

"The greatest regional increase in the number of housing starts for the period was seen in the South East where 8,129 new homes were started, 26 per cent higher than last year's figure of 6,466."

The number of homes completed showed little change year-on-year in the period from February 2007 to April 2007.

New build completions totalled 43,329 in the three months to the end of April, less than one per cent decrease on the same period last year when 43,522 new homes were started.

Additional figures for the three months from February to April 2007 show that the average number of new homes sold each day in the UK was 554, an increase of eight per cent on the same period a year ago (512).