Countryside’s building boost

HOUSEBUILDER Countryside Properties has ramped up construction as it reaps the rewards of Help to Buy.

The company built 852 homes between October and December – up 47pc on the same period the previous year.

Chief executive Ian Sutcliffe said a good start was made in 2018 with a record number of orders for new homes. Demand has been boosted by the Help to Buy scheme that allows families to borrow taxpayers’ money to secure a mortgage on a new build home.

But critics say the scheme has pushed up prices and led to huge profits and bonuses for housebuilders. Countryside shares fell 1.4pc, or 4.8p, to 329.2p.