Start on site
Housing statistics and English Housing Survey, glossary, published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in 2019, defines start on site as: ‘The milestone recording the start of a development scheme, this is deemed to be the date when the contractor takes possession of the site/property and both parties have signed and dated the main building contract. Further, there is an additional condition that start on site works must have commenced… It differs from new build dwelling start which is more focused on the individual commencement date of building work on each individual unit on site.’
Further details of the more detailed Homes England definition of a start on site are given in the capital funding guide.
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