Nearly 42,500 new homes were registered in the UK by NHBC in the first three months of the year.

This represent a 17% jump on last year with both private and social housing showing strong growth.

Private sector homes were up 10% at 31,197 units, while affordable home registration jumped 40% to 11,273 new homes compared to last year.

For the first time in seven years all 12 regions across the UK enjoyed growth in registrations, when compared to the same period 12 months ago.

The North East (+39%), London (+38%) and Eastern (+31%) were among the regions with the most notable growth.

But new home statistics for the financial year to April were more subdued due mainly to the slowdown in London over 2016.

For the year 2016/17 new homes registered rose 4% to 157,898 with new home completions up 5% to 145,282.

NHBC Managing Director Neil Jefferson said: “These figures, with growth across the entire country, are clearly encouraging for the sector, at a time when there is considerable demand for new, high-quality homes.”