Good news for the housebuilding sector as the latest figures from the NHBC says that private sector registrations climbed 9% between March and May 2019 against the same period last year.

During this rolling quarter, 31,322 private sector homes were registered to be built. Registrations for affordable and rental homes climbed 21% to 12,663 year-on-year.

In London, the number of new homes registered more than doubled during the period compared to the equivalent quarter in 2018, totalling 7,088, with an “increase in large developments already this year and the continued rise in the private rental sector”, NHBC said.

This was one of eight UK regions experiencing growth during the quarter (out of 12 regions). Others included West Midlands (+18% growth), Northern Ireland (+28%) and Scotland (+17%).

During May alone, more than 16,000 new homes were registered to be built across the UK, up 11% on a year ago. This was driven by inward investment in the rental sector, NHBC said.

In total, 43,985 new homes were registered during the March to May quarter, against 39,059 in March to May 2018.

Steve Wood, NHBC’s CEO, said: “It is encouraging to see such strong figures in May.

“This has been helped by the increase in the private rental sector and the upturn in London, fuelled by inward investors as well as new developments from established players.

“Of course, we will be working with developers to maintaining and improving the quality of these new homes. Construction quality is central to everything NHBC does – as highlighted by the 450 UK site managers we announced last week as Quality Award winners in the NHBC Pride in the Job Awards 2019.”