UK homebuilder Barratt Developments said today its deliveries had fallen by a third as the coronavirus crisis halted construction activity.
However Barratt said that it was starting the new financial year with "cautious optimism".
It said completion volumes slipped to 12,604 homes for the period ended March 22 from 17,856 homes a year earlier.
But it added that its forward order book carried a value of £3.25 billion as at June 30 compared to £2.60 billion in 2019.
"Since the removal of government restrictions on housing market activity on 13 May 2020 there has been a welcome recovery in internet activity, site visitors and net reservations across both the industry and our business," Barratt said.
However, Britain's largest housebuilder warned that the prospects for the wider UK economy and the subsequent impact of the pandemic on the housing market remains uncertain.
Although the government relaxed restrictions on the housing market in mid-May, data published by the Bank of England last week pointed to the lowest number of mortgage approvals on record during the month.
Barratt acknowledged that the availability of higher loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages was at a reduced level, but said demand from first-time buyers looking to use the government's help to buy has been significant since the market reopened.
