New house building: April 2023 to March 2024
Information on the number of new dwellings started, where building has commenced and those completed for April 2023 to March 2024.
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Introduction
This release presents information on new house building activity in Wales in the 2023-24 financial year and its impact on overall dwelling stock. The release covers new dwellings started (where building work has commenced) and new dwellings completed (where building work has finished and the dwelling is ready for occupation). Information on new house building is used by the Welsh Government and local authorities to assess levels of housing supply across Wales.
The information presented in this release is based on the reports of local authority building inspectors and the National House Building Council (NHBC), a Private Approved Inspector (PAI). This release does not include information from other PAIs, resulting in a small undercount in the total number of new dwellings started and completed. We are continuing to explore how we can improve the quality assurance of new house building data as part of wider work assessing the feasibility of using administrative data to estimate dwelling stock. We plan on publishing an update on this work later in 2024.
Data coverage
Gwynedd were unable to provide data for Quarter 4 of 2023-24 (January to March 2024). To produce an estimate for Gwynedd for the whole financial year, the number of new dwellings started and completed in Quarter 4 have been imputed. Please see the accuracy section of the quality and methodology information for more details.
Main points
- In 2023-24, 5,161 new dwellings were started, up 13% on 2022-23.
- In the same period, 4,756 new dwellings were completed, down 18% on the previous year.
- Of the 4,756 dwellings completed, 78% were accounted for by the private sector, 20% by Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and 1% by local authorities.
- 37% of completions were of 3-bedroom homes and 21% of completions were homes with 4 or more bedrooms.
Figure 1: Number of new dwelling starts and completions, 2014-15 to 2023-24
Description of Figure 1: A line chart showing that between 2014-15 and 2023-24, the number of new dwelling starts and completions has generally declined, with the smallest numbers recorded in 2020-21, a year heavily impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Source: Local authority building inspectors and NHBC data
[Note 1] Includes estimated data for Quarter 4 for Gwynedd. Please see the accuracy section of quality and methodology information for details.
Dwellings started by local authority
In 2023-24, 5,161 new dwellings were started, 13% more than in the previous year. Based on the 2023 Dwelling stock estimates, the number of new dwellings started in 2022-23 equates to approximately 4 new dwellings per 1,000 existing dwellings.
Figure 2: Number of new dwellings started per 1,000 existing dwellings by local authority, 2023-24 [Note 1]
Description of Figure 2: A map showing that the number of new dwellings started per 1,000 existing dwellings was greatest in south-east Wales.
Source: Local authority building inspectors and NHBC data and Welsh Government Dwelling stock estimates
[Note 1] Includes estimated data for Quarter 4 for Gwynedd. Please see the accuracy section of quality and methodology information for details.
New dwellings started by local authority area and dwelling type (StatsWales)
At a local authority level, the number of new dwelling starts ranged from 39 in Merthyr Tydfil (equivalent to 1 new dwelling per 1,000 existing dwellings) to 879 in Cardiff (equivalent to 6 new dwellings per 1,000 existing dwellings).
The rate of new dwelling starts per 1,000 existing dwellings ranged from 1 in Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend (with fewer than 70 new dwellings starts) to 11 in Newport (where 784 new dwellings were started).
Dwellings completed by local authority
In 2023-24, 4,756 new dwellings were completed, 18% fewer than in the previous year. This was a particularly low number of completions, second only to that recorded in 2021-22, a year heavily affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic (in 2021-22, 4,616 new dwellings were completed).
Based on the 2023 Dwelling stock estimates, the number of new dwellings completed in 2023-24 equates to approximately 3 new dwellings per 1,000 existing dwellings.
Figure 3: Number of new dwellings completed per 1,000 existing dwellings by local authority, 2023-24 [Note 1]
Description of Figure 3: A map showing that the rate of new dwellings completed per 1,000 existing dwellings was highest in south-east Wales.
Source: Local authority building inspectors and NHBC data and Welsh Government Dwelling stock estimates
[Note 1] Includes estimated data for Quarter 4 for Gwynedd. Please see the accuracy section of quality and methodology information for details.
New dwellings completed by area, dwelling type and number of bedrooms (StatsWales)
At a local authority level, the number of new dwellings completed ranged from 29 in Merthyr Tydfil (equivalent to 1 new dwelling per 1,000 existing dwellings) to 1,060 in Cardiff (equivalent to 7 new dwellings per 1,000 existing dwellings).
The rate of new dwellings completed per 1,000 existing dwellings ranged from 1 in Merthyr Tydfil, Gwynedd, Conwy, Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend to 7 in Newport (where 467 new dwellings were completed).
Dwellings completed by tenure
It is not always possible for building control officers or the NHBC to determine the final tenure of a property. In these instances, the tenure is more likely to be recorded as private sector, leading to a potential overcount of dwellings in the private sector and a potential undercount of dwellings in the social sector. For this reason, tenure breakdowns should be treated with caution.
In 2023-24, most new dwelling completions were accounted for by the private sector (78%), with a smaller proportion accounted for by the social sector (22%). The proportion of completions accounted for by the social sector was slightly higher than the previous year (21%). In 2023-24, 65 completions (1% of all completions) were accounted for by local authorities.
| Local authority | Private sector stock | RSL stock | Local authority stock | All tenures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isle of Anglesey | 71 | 77 | 0 | 148 |
| Gwynedd [Note 1] | 46 | 48 | 0 | 94 |
| Conwy | 43 | 28 | 0 | 71 |
| Denbighshire | 159 | 8 | 4 | 171 |
| Flintshire | 187 | 29 | 34 | 250 |
| Wrexham | 252 | 30 | 0 | 282 |
| Powys | 73 | 34 | 0 | 107 |
| Ceredigion | 98 | 31 | 0 | 129 |
| Pembrokeshire | 138 | 46 | 16 | 200 |
| Carmarthenshire | 111 | 0 | 0 | 111 |
| Swansea | 191 | 43 | 0 | 234 |
| Neath Port Talbot | 63 | 3 | 0 | 66 |
| Bridgend | 75 | 8 | 0 | 83 |
| The Vale of Glamorgan | 274 | 91 | 0 | 365 |
| Cardiff | 949 | 100 | 11 | 1060 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | 234 | 2 | 0 | 236 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 15 | 14 | 0 | 29 |
| Caerphilly | 132 | 115 | 0 | 247 |
| Blaenau Gwent | 76 | 5 | 0 | 81 |
| Torfaen | 83 | 23 | 0 | 106 |
| Monmouthshire | 201 | 18 | 0 | 219 |
| Newport | 250 | 217 | 0 | 467 |
| Wales | 3,721 | 970 | 65 | 4,756 |
Description of Table 1: A table of new dwelling completions by local authority and tenure showing that in 20 of 22 local authorities, more than half of new dwelling completions were accounted for by the private sector.
Source: Local authority building inspectors and NHBC data
[Note 1] Includes estimated data for Quarter 4 for Gwynedd. Please see the accuracy section of quality and methodology information for details.
New dwellings completed by area, dwelling type and number of bedrooms (StatsWales)
At a local authority level, the percentage of new dwelling completions accounted for by the private sector varied from 48% in Isle of Anglesey (where 71 of 148 completions were accounted for by the private sector) to 100% in Carmarthenshire (where all 111 completions were accounted for by the private sector).
Looking at the social sector, the greatest number of RSL completions were observed in the Vale of Glamorgan (91 RSL completions), Cardiff (100 RSL completions), Caerphilly (115 RSL completions) and Newport (217 RSL completions). Most local authority completions were accounted for by Flintshire (with 34 local authority completions, accounting for 52% of all local authority completions).
Dwellings completed by dwelling type and bedrooms
In 2023-24, most new dwelling completions were houses or bungalows (73%), with a smaller proportion of dwellings completed as flats (27%). Since 2013-14, the proportion of dwellings completed as houses or bungalows has varied between 73% and 82%.
In the most recent year, 37% of new dwelling completions were of 3-bedroom homes and a further 21% were homes with 4 or more bedrooms. The distribution of dwellings by number of bedrooms has remained relatively stable in the past 10 years.
Typically, the private sector has focused on delivering larger homes (in 2023-24, 66% of private sector completions contained 3 or more bedrooms), while the social sector has focused on delivering smaller homes (in the same year, 69% of social sector completions contained just 1 or 2 bedrooms).
Dwellings completed across the UK
Between 2014-15 and 2015-16, increases in the numbers of new dwellings completed were observed across all four nations. However, whilst the other UK nations continued to record increases, house building activity in Wales began to decline from 2016-17. In 2020-21, new house building activity declined across the whole of the UK as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic impacted the construction industry. In 2021-22 and 2022-23, new house building activity has increased across the UK (with the exception of Northern Ireland), reaching closer to the extent of activity observed prior to the pandemic. In 2023-24, there has been a decline in the number of new dwellings completed across all four nations.
| Year | England | Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | 124,640 | 6,170 | 16,750 | 5,500 |
| 2015-16 | 139,710 | 6,900 | 16,850 | 5,810 |
| 2016-17 | 147,520 | 6,830 | 17,140 | 6,460 |
| 2017-18 | 160,910 | 6,660 | 17,560 | 7,100 |
| 2018-19 | 169,060 | 5,780 | 21,270 | 7,810 |
| 2019-20 | 175,330 | 6,040 | 22,120 | 7,310 |
| 2020-21 | 154,630 | 4,620 | 15,750 | 6,450 |
| 2021-22 | 171,200 | 5,270 | 21,580 | 7,290 |
| 2022-23 | 174,440 | 5,790 | 23,510 | 6,420 |
| 2023-24 | 153,800 [p] | 4,760 | 19,630 | 5,420 |
Description of Table 2: A table showing how the number of new dwelling completions varies by UK country between 2014-15 and 2023-24. The trend is described in the text above.
[p] This figure is provisional and subject to scheduled revisions.
Sources by country
England
Local authority new build form returns, NHBC data and approved inspector data returns
New house building in England statistics (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Wales
Local authority building inspectors and NHBC data
New house building in Wales statistics
Scotland
Local authority new build form returns and Scottish Government Affordable Housing Supply Programme
New house building in Scotland statistics (Scottish Government)
Northern Ireland
District Council Building Control
New house building in Northern Ireland statistics (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency)
Figure 4: Indexed number of new dwellings completed across the UK (2014-15 = 100) [Note 1]
Description of Figure 4: A line chart showing how new house building has varied across the UK nations since 2014-15. The trend is described in the text below.
[Note 1] The actual number of new dwellings completed varies considerably, the data shown in the chart has been indexed, with 2014-15 used as the base year and set at 100, to ensure comparability in terms of scale.
Sources by country
England
Local authority new build form returns, NHBC data and approved inspector data returns
New house building in England statistics (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Wales
Local authority building inspectors and NHBC data
New house building in Wales statistics
Scotland
Local authority new build form returns and Scottish Government Affordable Housing Supply Programme
New house building in Scotland statistics (Scottish Government)
Northern Ireland
District Council Building Control
New house building in Northern Ireland statistics (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency)
Figure 4 highlights an increase in new house building across the whole of the UK between 2014-15 and 2015-16. Compared to the index year (2014-15), new house building activity begins to decline in Wales in 2016-17, but generally continues to increase across the other UK nations until 2020-21, when the effects of the pandemic become apparent. Across all 4 nations, when comparing to the index year, there is an increase in new dwellings completed in 2021-22 and 2022-23, followed by a decrease in 2023-24.
Wider context
Welsh Government Dwelling stock estimates are produced using Census data, alongside New house building and Housing demolitions data. For the 2021 Census, ONS made changes to the Census address frame to allow more unoccupied dwellings to be captured. In the Evaluation of addressing quality: Census 2021 (ONS) report, it was found that there was an average over coverage of 1.7% addresses included in the 2021 Census address frame. Some of these addresses will have been homes still under construction at the time of the Census. There will be some double counting of these addresses in the Dwelling stock estimates produced following the 2021 Census rebase, later recorded as new dwelling completions. Please see Dwelling stock estimates: as at 31 March 2023 for more information.
The latest Dwelling stock estimates show that at 31 March 2023, there were an estimated 1.5 million dwellings in Wales, marking a 5% increase on March 2014. In the past 10 years, the percentage of dwellings split between the private sector and social sector has remained stable (with 84% of dwellings accounted for by the private sector and the remaining 16% by the social sector). In the private sector, the percentage of dwellings that are privately rented has decreased from 14% in 2014 to 13% in 2023, while the percentage of dwellings that are owner-occupied has increased from 70% to 71%. Meanwhile, in the social sector, the percentage of RSL and local authority dwellings has remained consistent (with 10% of dwelling stock accounted for by RSLs and 6% by local authorities).
In 2020, an update to the Estimates of future housing need was published. These estimates, which are not a housing target, provide a range of need for additional housing units based on past trends and best available data. The Welsh Government is currently exploring options for an interim refresh of the estimates of housing need.
The number of additional affordable housing units delivered through new build, purchase, acquisition, leasing or conversion is published in the annual Affordable housing provision release.
Quality and methodology information
Accuracy
Gwynedd were unable to provide data for Quarter 4 of 2023-24 (January to March 2024). To produce an estimate for Gwynedd for the whole financial year, the numbers of new dwellings started and completed in Quarter 4 have been imputed. Data provided for Quarter 1 to Quarter 3 of 2023-24 for Gwynedd has been averaged and used in place of Quarter 4.
Official Statistics status
All official statistics should show the standards of the Code of Practice for Statistics.
These are accredited official statistics, published by the Welsh Government. They were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) in November 2012. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics.
It is Welsh Government’s responsibility to maintain compliance with the standards expected of accreditation. If we become concerned about whether these statistics are still meeting the appropriate standards, we will discuss any concerns with OSR promptly. Accreditation can be cancelled or suspended at any point when the highest standards are not maintained, and reinstated when standards are restored.
Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
Statement of compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics
Our statistical practice is regulated by the OSR. OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.
All of our statistics are produced and published in accordance with a number of statements and protocols to enhance trustworthiness, quality and value. These are set out in the Welsh Government’s Statement of Compliance.
These accredited official statistics (OSR) demonstrate the standards expected around trustworthiness, quality and public value in the following ways.
Trustworthiness: we have made these statistics available in a timely manner to meet user needs. We have followed relevant protocols for releasing these statistics, ensuring that circulation before publication has been restricted to eligible recipients only.
Quality: we have made the limitations of this data clear to users (for example, highlighting that building activity by some PAIs is not captured, resulting in a small undercount of new build starts and completions). We intend to publish an article later in 2024 exploring the feasibility of using administrative data to complement and quality assure housing supply statistics.
Value: we have made every effort to ensure these statistics are accessible to users, using clear and succinct language. We welcome any feedback on how we can improve the value of these statistics.
You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.
Well-being of Future Generations Act (WFG)
The Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 is about improving the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales. The Act puts in place seven wellbeing goals for Wales. These are for a more equal, prosperous, resilient, healthier and globally responsible Wales, with cohesive communities and a vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language. Under section (10)(1) of the Act, the Welsh Ministers must (a) publish indicators (“national indicators”) that must be applied for the purpose of measuring progress towards the achievement of the wellbeing goals, and (b) lay a copy of the national indicators before Senedd Cymru. Under section 10(8) of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, where the Welsh Ministers revise the national indicators, they must as soon as reasonably practicable (a) publish the indicators as revised and (b) lay a copy of them before the Senedd. These national indicators were laid before the Senedd in 2021. The indicators laid on 14 December 2021 replace the set laid on 16 March 2016.
Information on the indicators, along with narratives for each of the wellbeing goals and associated technical information is available in the Well-being of Wales report.
Further information on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
The statistics included in this release could also provide supporting narrative to the national indicators and be used by public services boards in relation to their local wellbeing assessments and local wellbeing plans.
Contact details
Statistician: Holly Flynn
Email: stats.housingconditions@gov.wales
Media: 0300 025 8099
SFR 64/2024
