Coronavirus measures hit new home numbers

New house building in Sunderland has slowed down following the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions, new figures show.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) figures show that just 60 new homes were finished in the city between April and June this year – a fall from 150 completed in the same three-month period last year.

The figure includes homes built by housing associations and the local authority.

O ve r th e 1 2 m o nth s to June, 480 new homes were finished in Sunderland – a decrease of 23% on the previous 12 months.

In Sunderland, construction began 80 new homes between April and June this year, down from 150 last year.

Charity Shelter says the country now faces a worsening "housing emergency" and has called on the Government to ramp up a financial package to provide more social housing. Nationally, 16,520 new houses were finished between April and June – down from 46,330 on the same period last year.

Shelter chief executive Polly Neate said: “There are over a million households on social housing waiting lists, and sadly many more are likely to join them as the recession bites and people lose their homes.

“We urgently need a rescue package of social house building to avert a lengthy crash that could wipe out tens of thousands of new homes and jobs.”

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick last monthannounced a £12bn plan to support the building of 180,000 affordable homes.

An MHCLG spokesperson said the ministry was "determined" to build more houses quicker and was overhauling the planning system.