Housebuilder sees sales move ahead

Housebuilding firm Barratt Developments has chalked up a “strong” half-year performance.

Total forward sales picked up by 2% to £2.4 billion for the six months ending in December, as the group – which has developments across Scotland, including in Fife – said it had been boosted by Help to Buy and a buoyant mortgage market.

Completions lifted 2% to 7,324 over the period, with the average selling price climbing 6.5% to £281,000.

Chief executive David Thomas said: “We have delivered a strong performance in the first half.”

The group – Britain’s biggest housebuilder – said the sales rate remained at 0.68 compared to the year before, while average reservations per week dropped to 246 from 247 in 2016.