Housing starts rose by 13% to 164,960 in the year to June, the highest figure since 2008, figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government show.
In the three months from April to June, some 41,180 new homes were started, a fall of 3% on the prior period but 10% higher than a year earlier.
The number of homes completed during the year rose by 11% to 153,330.
