With NHBC figures for
new house registrations at their highest level since 2007 and DCLG projections
showing that household numbers are set to increase at the rate of 210,000 per
year, it is just as well that brick manufacturers are continuing to perform
strongly.
Brick production in
September was up 8.5%c on the same
month last year, broadly consistent with the 9.5% increase in the rolling
12-month comparison to the previous period.
Speaking at the recent
Brick Awards, BDA Chief Executive Keith Aldis alluded to the increasing
self-sufficiency in the UK housing market, with rising domestic brick
production increasing at a faster rate than distribution.
Better than expected
construction figures (up 2.1% in the three months to September) point to the
sector gaining some momentum, despite background uncertainty over Brexit
impact, with new housing performing particularly strongly.
“Our members have
demonstrated their confidence in the long-term outlook for new houses by
investing in their production capacity”, summarised The Brick Development
Association’s spokesman Tom Farmer.
“The number one
priority for domestic policy on all sides of the political debate appears to be
a determination to meet housing need – if we can build the required new homes
with domestically-produced materials, so much the better.”
