In the company’s full year report Berkeley chief executive Rob Perrins said the numbers represented  “a very strong performance by our sales and construction teams, given market conditions and changing building regulations, and reflects the resilience of Berkeley’s business model with its focus on the country’s most undersupplied markets.”

However, the report also shows that forward sales are down 15% on the year and that it expects sales for 2023/24 to be around 20% lower on the year.

In its statement to the stock market, Berkeley says: “The near-term market outlook is uncertain, much the same as it has been since September 2022.

“In this type of market there is a lack of urgency and transactions typically stem from owner occupiers with a current motivation to move or investors with immediately available funds, with demand therefore weighted to product which is closer to delivery, as opposed to off-plan sales that do not complete for two to four years.”

Earlier this month Crest Nicholson reported a 60% fall in pre-tax profits for the half year.

The UK housebuilder warned of a continued slowdown in the housing market as rising mortgage rates and cost of living pressures impact demand.

Similarly, rival Bellway revealed that reservations averaged 190 per week, compared with 253 in the same period of 2022.

With the housebuilder showing a significantly smaller order book of £1.7bn, down from £2.4bn – with further reductions deemed likely through 2023.