Completions of new homes fell by 1% in 2016, according to the government’s measure of new build activity.
According to Department for Communities and Local Government figures , there were 140,660 new build dwellings completed in the year to December 2016, which is 1% lower than in the year to December 2015.
There were 153,370 new build homes started in the year to December 2016 – a 5% increase from the year to December 2015.
Private enterprise starts were up 8% compared with the previous year.
Housing association starts decreased 12% compared with the year before, and completions dropped by 20%.