News Release Page Title

6 January 2000

NORTHERN IRELAND HOUSING BULLETIN

The Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin, containing statistics for the period 1 July to 30 September 1999, will be published today. The bulletin provides information on house prices, mortgage activity and the number of new homes started in the previous three months.

During the three months ending 30 September 1999:

  • the average price of NHBC-registered new houses sold was £74,000, an increase of £3,000 (4%) on the figure for July to September 1998 (£71,000).

  • gross mortgage advances, including remortgage activity, amounted to £584 million, a rise of £103 million (21%) on the figure for the corresponding quarter in 1998-99 (£481 million).

  • the average intended selling price of new flats and maisonettes started was £101,000, up £24,000 (31%) on the figure for the same quarter in 1998 (£77,000). This increase is believed to be due partly to the commencement of a number of luxury apartment developments in the North Down and South Belfast areas with intended selling prices in excess of £200,000.

  • a total of 2,242 new houses were started, down 342 (13%) on the previous quarter (2,584), and 311 (12%) fewer than the figure for July to September 1998 (2,553).

  • 93% (2,078) of new dwellings started were commissioned for the private sector representing a decrease of 410 (16%) on the previous quarter (2,488), and a decrease of 123 (6%) on the same quarter in 1998-99 (2,201).

  • Belfast City Council area had the highest figure for private sector starts (247) followed by Ards (200) and Newtownabbey (157).

 

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

  1. The Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin is produced each quarter by the Central Statistics and Research Branch of the Department for Regional Development on behalf of the Department for Social Development. The Bulletin contains information on new house sales and prices, mortgage advances, actions for mortgage possession and new housing starts. Provisional and revised figures are indicated by (P) and (R) respectively.

  2. Data for new house sales and prices are derived from transactions for new private sector and Housing Associations dwellings notified by solicitors to the National House Building Council (NHBC).

  3. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) supplies mortgage-lending statistics. The data refer to gross advances, including remortgage activity, by all banks and building societies which are members of the CML.

  4. The Northern Ireland Court Service produces statistics on actions for mortgage possession (writs and originating summonses). The figures cover both the public and private sectors and relate to both domestic and commercial properties.

  5. The Building Control Offices supply details of all new housing starts for the private sector for each of the 26 district council areas. Data for the social rented sector are provided by NIHE and the Housing Associations Branch of the Department for Social Development.

  6. The CSRB web site (www.doeni.gov.uk/statistics/doestats.htm) contains PDF versions of this and other recent Bulletins, downloadable tables as well as key facts from Northern Ireland Housing Statistics 1998-99. The PDF version of the Bulletin can also be issued by E-mail (csrb@doeni.gov.uk).

  7. Hard copies of the Bulletin are available free of charge from:

    8. Central Statistics and Research Branch, Department of the Environment (NI),

    Room 6.09, Clarence Court, 10 - 18 Adelaide Street, BELFAST BT2 8GB

    Telephone: (028) 9054 0800 / 0799

    E-mail: csrb@doeni.gov.uk

  8. The next edition of the Bulletin will be published in late March 2000.