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Housebuilding has risen at the fastest rate since the crash of 2008 with a 16% rise in new starts over the last 12 months.

A total of 117,100 new homes were started in the year to September, up from 101,280 in the previous 12 months, according to new government figures.

Some 32,230 homes were started between July and September, which represents the fastest rate of house building since 2008.

The government claims to have helped 36,000 households onto the property ladder since 2011, through Help to Buy and other schemes, and 13,400 social tenants through the Right to Buy.

Activity by private sector housebuilders rose 9% in the last three months and almost 30% over the last year, said RICS chief economist Simon Rubinsohn. 

“The dramatic turnaround can, in part, be attributed to the first stage of the Help to Buy scheme but is also down to the Funding for Lending Scheme, which has contributed to the rise of competitive mortgage products.


"We expect total housing starts to climb to around 130,000 this year, compared to 100,000 in 2012.

"Although this is an encouraging development it will, however, still leave the number of starts below the required level to make inroads on the overall shortfall in housing."

Even 200,000 new homes a year wouldn't be enough to create a sustainable property market, said David Brown, commercial director of LSL Property Services.

"While Help to Buy is already proving a vital step up the ladder for thousands, millions more households are seeing the first rung of that ladder get higher. 

"Housing is only going to become pricier until there’s more of it.

"The property industry is making strong headway towards a full recovery, but a woeful shortage of homes could put a cap on growth in the long-run.”

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