The statistics show that the key housing programmes have been delivered and that the Government is on course to deliver its target of 170,000 new affordable homes by 2015, the Government's housing and regeneration body said.
In total 70% of the 19,967 housing starts in the last financial year were for affordable homes. The HCA's London operating area delivered 28% of these starts, 21% were delivered in the south and south west, 17% were in the midlands and 13% in the east and south east.
The Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) which runs from 2011 to 2015 accounted for 90% of the affordable homes started in 2011-12, which commenced delivery in the second half of the year.
Of the housing completions, 87% were for affordable homes. The completions were spread over the HCA's operating area, but London had the largest share of 31%.
“This is a good result and we are where we expected to be in our delivery programme. The numbers demonstrate strong completions and a solid platform on which to build, especially when put into context alongside the HCA’s wider delivery work," said Pat Richie, chief executive of the HCA.
"It also shows we are making a significant impact on boosting the supply of affordable homes in the areas where they are most needed, in partnership with local authorities and providers across England," Richie said.
All the housing starts and completions reported in the statistics have been delivered through the National AHP, AHP, Kickstart Housing Delivery Programme, the Local Authority New Build Programme, the Accelerated Land Disposal Programme, the Economic Assets Programme, FirstBuy, Mortgage Rescue, and the Property & Regeneration Programme.
“Our teams have worked hard and we will continue to look at more innovative ways of working with and supporting our delivery partners, most significantly through our Affordable Homes Programme as it gathers momentum," said Richie. “We will be reviewing and monitoring delivery for the coming year of the programme, to ensure that our funding offers the best value for public money and helps meet government aspirations of delivering up to 170,000 new homes by 2015.”
The rate of delivery of homes increased in the second half of 2011-12, the HCA said, because the delivery of housing outputs is impacted by seasonal factors and programme dates.
The next set of six monthly statistics are planned to be released by the HCA in November/December.
