Countryside forward orders jump 65% in record quarterly performance

Countryside’s total forward order book increased by 65% in the first quarter, marking a record quarterly performance. The order book reached £1.6bn in Q1 2020, up from £946m the same time a year earlier. Private forward orders rose by 46% to £314m, with the UK housebuilder affirming demand for affordable and PRS homes “remained robust”. Housebuilding completions reached 1,097 during the quarter, flat year-on-year, while the private average selling price fell by £1,000 to £394,000. The partnerships division, which works with local authorities and housing associations, delivered the majority of the completions, at 855. “We continue to see strong customer demand across both divisions for all tenures of homes,” Countryside said. “With some of the political uncertainty now having eased and sales levels in line with expectations for this point in the year, we remain on track to deliver our full-year plans.” To send feedback, e-mail anna.ward@egi.co.uk or tweet @annaroxelana or @estatesgazette