Gross mortgage lending declined to an estimated £10.2 billion in April. Lending fell by 19% from £12.6 billion in March but was 2% higher than the total of £10.0 billion in April 2011, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. In today’s CML market commentary, CML chief economist Bob Pannell comments: "Mortgage lending activity has been relatively buoyant in recent months, with stronger lending for house purchase underpinning the more upbeat lending picture. "The underlying picture is likely to be a bit stronger than the April figure suggests, because some first-time buyers are likely to have brought forward ... (full story)