There was an increase in house building in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to the previous three months, according to latest data from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
Seasonally adjusted house building starts stood at 25,240 in the December quarter 2011. This is 6% higher than in the September quarter 2011. It is 74% above the trough in the March quarter 2009, but 48% below the December quarter 2005 peak.
Private enterprise housing starts (seasonally adjusted) were 6% above the September quarter 2011. Starts by housing associations were 1% higher than the previous quarter.
Housing completions in England (seasonally adjusted) also increased this quarter, up 2% from 26,180 in September quarter 2011 to 26,730 in the December quarter 2011.
Completions by housing associations (seasonally adjusted) increased by 12% between the September quarter 2011 and December quarter 2011. However, private enterprise housing completions were 2% lower in the December 2011 quarter than in the September 2011 quarter.
Annual housing starts reached 98,250 in the 12 months to December 2011, down by 4% compared with the 12 months to December 2010. Annual housing completions in England totalled 109,020 in the 12 months to September 2011, an increase of 6% compared with the 12 months to December 2010.