THE number of new houses being built in the north is at highest level in five years - but still well below government targets.
Official figures show the number of new dwellings commenced in the three months to March was 1,533.
That was 4 per cent higher than the same quarter in 2014 and the best recorded by Building Control in 2011.
The data was contained in the Department for Communities' Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin.
It also showed housing completions to be 1,439, a dramatic 29 per cent rise on the start of 2015 and also the highest first quarter figure in five years.
However the statistic falls far short of the government's own targets for new house builds.
Its Housing Growth Indicators developed as part of the Regional Development Strategy found around 190,000 new homes would be required from 2008 to 2025.
That would mean around 11,200 new homes per year (although the figure is to be revised).
Nicola McCrudden, director of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) said the upturn in housebuilding was "very welcome" but warned against complacency.
In particular, Ms McCrudden welcomed the 1,568 new social homes commenced in 2015/2016.
"This shows that the social housing sector is contributing significantly to the provision of new homes and has exceeded government’s target of 1,500 new homes - a target which has now been increased to 2,000 in 2016/17," she said.
"Elsewhere a growth in the number of new homes is being supported by the gradual but ongoing recovery of the private sector. The number of new private homes completed increased by 23 per cent on the same quarter in 2015. "
But Ms McCrudden warned the number of new builds being started are just over half the required level.
“This steady growth in the number of new homes is promising but we can’t lose sight of the bigger picture and we are still not building anywhere near the level we need to," she said.
“In 2015/16 there were 6,716 new homes started - we need to build over 11,000 homes every year just to keep up with population growth and household change. A lack of housing supply still risks putting a decent home out of reach for more and more people."
And she called on the Northern Ireland executive to "urgently implement the recommendations of the housing supply forum report to address planning constraints and the housing industry’s difficulties in accessing suitable land".
"We cannot let such constraints limit our progress in building the new homes we so desperately need.”
