More than 160,000 new homes were registered to be built across the UK last year – the highest number for a decade. A total of 160,606 homes were registered during 2017, up 6% on the previous year, the National House Building Council said, largely driven by the Midlands, where registrations rose by 16%. New home completions also increased by 4% compared with 2016, reaching 147,278 last year.

Registrations in the private sector grew by 3% annually, with 118,825 new homes, and the affordable sector increased by 14% to a record 41,781. Nine out of 12 UK nations and regions saw an increase in registrations, with Wales and North West England among the growth hotspots, while building stalled in London to 1.5%.