Housing starts and completions
Key points for 2024/25
- In the Lancashire-12 area there were 3,750 starts in housing construction and 4,120 completions.
- 76.5% of these starts and 81.6% of the completions were in the private sector.
- In the Lancashire-14 area 4,230 houses were started and 4,860 were completed.
- The private sector accounted for 76.1% of these starts and 81.9% of the completions.
Summary
Nationally, there was a noticeable decrease in housing construction starts for England, down from 135,860 in 2023/24 to 112,880 in 2024/25. In total 71.6% of the national figure was allocated to the private sector in the 2024/25 financial year. In the Lancashire-12 area there was a slight increase in construction starts from 3,570 to the latest total of 3,750, of which 76.5% were in the private sector. In Lancashire-14, the private-sector accounted for 76.1% of the 4,230 starts.
In the Lancashire-12 area Wyre had the highest number (650) of starts in 2024/25, potentially deposing Preston (640) where there had consistently been most starts for some years. As figures are rounded to 10 there may be little difference between these two authorities. In third place Chorley had 590 starts and in fourth place South Ribble with 500. All other districts in the Lancashire-12 area had fewer than 500 dwellings started. Rossendale had least with 20. In the wider Lancashire-14 area there were 430 starts in Blackburn with Darwen, 72.1% of which were in the private sector.
The latest figure of 152,040 housing completions in England constitutes a small fall from the 2023/24 total of 160,390. As Preston had over six hundred starts in preceding years the high of 870 completions in 2024/25 is not surprising. The total 4,860 completions in the Lancashire-14 area were 8.0% more than in 2023/24.
Table 1: Dwellings started and completed, 2024/25
| Area | Dwellings started | % private enterprise | Dwellings completed | % private enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnley | 130 | 92.3 | 270 | 88.9 |
| Chorley | 590 | 67.8 | 340 | 92.2 |
| Fylde | 220 | 100.0 | 200 | 100.0 |
| Hyndburn | 220 | 100.0 | 110 | 81.8 |
| Lancaster | 120 | 100.0 | 150 | 100.0 |
| Pendle | 140 | 100.0 | 80 | 87.5 |
| Preston | 640 | 73.4 | 870 | 87.4 |
| Ribble Valley | 270 | 48.2 | 300 | 83.3 |
| Rossendale | 20 | 100.0 | 70 | 85.7 |
| South Ribble | 500 | 80.0 | 540 | 68.5 |
| West Lancashire | 250 | 88.0 | 610 | 86.9 |
| Wyre | 650 | 64.6 | 580 | 58.6 |
| Lancashire-12 | 3,750 | 76.5 | 4,120 | 81.6 |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 430 | 72.1 | 590 | 100.0 |
| Blackpool | 50 | 80.0 | 150 | 20.0 |
| Lancashire-14 | 4,230 | 76.1 | 4,860 | 81.9 |
| England | 112,880 | 71.6 | 152,040 | 75.3 |
Source: GOV.UK; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; Live Table 253
Private enterprise accounts for most construction starts and 100% of the totals in five Lancashire authorities in 2024/25. The one exception was in Ribble Valley, where Housing Association starts exceeded those intended for private sale. However this may represent an under-estimation of the activity of registered social landlords. Starts in particular may be recorded as being commenced by the private sector, but elements of the development relating to section 106 agreements for affordable housing might only be transferred out of private enterprise towards the end of site construction. This may have happened in Blackpool, where private sector completions were only 20% of all housing completions.
Housing Associations accounted for 27.6% of the national starts total in 2024/25, with just 0.8% allocated to local authorities. Housing Association (HA) starts were lower in the Lancashire-12 area at 23.5%, but double what was seen in 2023/24 because of 320 HA starts in Preston and Ribble Valley. The only allocations to local authority housing starts within the Lancashire-14 area were the 10 in Blackpool, making the rate for Lancashire-14 around 0.24%.
Page updated February 2026.