UK property market: number of new homes registered is at highest level since 2007

The number of new homes registered across the UK last year was the highest since 2007, a new report reveals, in a further boost for the property market.

Figures emerged earlier this week showing new home starts, completions and sales all growing again - the "strongest evidence yet" for London property market having turned a corner - confirming that buyers and sellers have returned to the market since Boris Johnson's landslide election win.

Last year, 161,022 new homes were registered with the National House Building Council (NHBC), a warranty and insurance provider, which makes 2019 the strongest year for registrations since 198,693 new homes were recorded 12 years ago.

Homes are registered from before they are built, meaning the figures are an indication of new housing supply in the pipeline.

The number of new-build homes registrations has surged by more than 80 per cent over the past decade - with just 88,849 recorded in 2009 - according to the NHBC.

Between 2010 and 2019, 1.4 million new homes were registered to be built across the UK.

Last year's new homes registration figure across the UK was an increase of one per cent on 2018, driven by a 37 per cent uplift in London and a 17 per cent increase in the West Midlands.

Scotland also recorded a one per cent upswing.

Several other parts of the UK, including northern England, the South West of England and Wales saw annual falls, yet the figures edged up overall despite wider economic and political uncertainty over Brexit.

NHBC chief executive Steve Wood said: "It is great to see the resilience of house builders over the 2019 year."

He said the body is committed to working with house builders as the industry faces "the skills, supply chain and environmental challenges in front of us".

Scroll through our gallery above for the numbers of new-build homes registered across the UK in 2019.

Additional reporting by Press Association.