The number of new homes started rose by 30% in 2010, bouncing back from record industry lows in 2009 according to the latest NHBC figures. – However, the number of completions actually fell by just over 10% in the year, as housebuilders slowed down due to the tentative market.
House minister Grant Shapps this week intervened to attempt to save further swingeing regulation of the mortgage lending market by the Financial services Authority. He met FSA chief executive Hector Sants to try to water down proposals that could further halve the availability of mortgages.
