The Home Builders Federation (HBF) and the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Northern Ireland have both responded to the countries’ individual house building statistics
Irish and Welsh housebuilding statistics have both been updated, with Ireland seeing a quarterly update, while Wales has a yearly update.
Wales has seen a general minor drop, while Ireland has more promising results.
HBF responds to Welsh statistics
Housebuilding figures for Wales cover the period 2024/25, and show a fall in housing supply by 3% year-on-year.
4,631 new homes were completed in the period, down from 2023/24’s 4,771. Of these new homes, 73% (3,710) were delivered by the private sector (a 9% decrease year-on-year), and 3,800 new dwellings were started, down by 26% year-on-year.
Mark Harris, planning and policy advisor for Wales, said: “A further reduction in the number of homes built in Wales last year illustrates the stark challenges faced by house builders across the country.
“Out-of-date Local Development Plans continue to limit investment in new housing, while delays in the planning process, caused by an influx of additional policy and regulatory requirements and a lack of resource within council planning departments, create more uncertainty and costs for builders.
“This downward trend is now entrenched and likely to continue unless urgent action is taken by the +Welsh Government to address the many barriers in the way of delivering the homes that Wales needs.”
CIH responds to Irish statistics
The Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin (April – June 2025) shows mild positivity, with starts on new dwellings up 30% from the previous quarter at 2,248, and completions up 8% to 1,475.
However, some negatives came in the form of delivery, with households waiting for a home up by 1% to 49,129, and households in housing stress also up by 1% to 37,939. The number of households allocated a new social home also fell from last quarter’s 8,843 to 6,173.
Julie Steele, engagement and external affairs manager at CIH Northern Ireland, said: “The latest statistics highlight a worrying reality. Even with some growth in new starts and completions, we are still not building nearly enough homes.
“Rising waiting lists and continued reliance on temporary accommodation show the real human cost of underinvestment. Without urgent action to restore funding and provide long-term certainty, the housing crisis in Northern Ireland will only worsen.
“While housing providers are working hard to deliver against challenging targets, the core issue remains a lack of sustained investment and long-term policy direction. The positive momentum seen in delivery must be matched by ambition, leadership, and resources if Northern Ireland is to meet its housing need and ensure that every household can access a safe, affordable home.”
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