News Release Page Title

30 June 2003

LATEST NORTHERN IRELAND HOUSING BULLETIN IS PUBLISHED

The Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin, including sales of new houses and apartments during the period January to March 2003, was published by the Department for Social Development today.

Some of its key findings with year-on comparisons include:

  • The average selling price of NHBC-registered new houses sold during the quarter was £97,000, an increase of £5,000 (5.4%) on the same quarter in 2002.

  • The average selling price of NHBC-registered new houses ranged from £66,400 in Strabane District Council to £140,800 in Lisburn District Council according to provisional figures.

  • The average selling price of NHBC-registered flats and maisonettes was £94,000 - the same as the quarter ending March 2002.

  • 482 actions for mortgage possession were recorded, an increase of 12.6% on the same period in 2002.

  • Detached houses represented 38% of all NHBC intended housing starts. The total number of NHBC starts recorded for this quarter (2,535) represented an increase of 16.4% on the same quarter in 2002.

  • Of the new dwellings actually started, 88.9% (3,243) were commissioned by the private sector. Total number of starts increased from 3,381 for the quarter ending March 2002, to 3,646 for the quarter ending March 2003.

  • Belfast was the district council with the greatest number of new housing starts, namely 463. This represents an increase of 6.7% on the same period last year.

  • A total of 4,620 households presented as homeless to the Housing Executive with ‘Sharing Breakdown or Family Dispute’ being the most common reason cited.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. The Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin is produced each quarter by the Statistics and Research Branch of the Department for Social Development. It 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 price are derived from transactions for new private sector and Housing Associations dwellings notified by solicitors to the

    National House Building Council (NHBC)
    Buildmark House
    Chiltern Avenue
    Amersham
    Bucks
    HP6 5AP
    Tel: 0870 241 4302,
    Website:http://www.nhbc.co.uk

  3. Details of housing starts for the private sector are supplied by Building Control Offices, district councils and for the social rented sector by NIHE and the Housing Associations Branch of the Department for Social Development.

  4. For the purposes of this bulletin, the terms ‘house’ and ‘dwelling’ are interchangeable and can be defined as ‘a self-contained unit of accommodation, having all amenities available to each household (own kitchen, bathroom, toilet) regardless of shared entrance).’ A ‘house’ or ‘dwelling’ will, therefore, comprise ‘either one self-contained household space or a number of non self-contained household spaces’.

  5. The bulletin is available on the Department for Social Development’s website at http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/statistics-research/introduction.asp

  6. Hard copies are available from the

    Statistics & Research Branch
    Department for Social Development
    The Village
    Stormont
    Belfast
    BT4 3SJ
    Telephone - 028 9052 2762
    E-mail     ann.trew@dsdni.gov.uk

  7. Please Note:

    Statistics & Research Branch (DSD) aim to provide customers with the information they require and in a format that is most suitable to meet customers needs. If you have any comments in relation to the content of the bulletin or the format in which it is released please contact Statistics & Research Branch.

  8. The next edition of the Bulletin will be published in September 2003.

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