<b><b>Steve Menary looks at the latest results of HouseBuilder&amp;’s regional planning application survey and the impact of recent industry restructuring</b><b>.</b></b><br><b></b>The results of the continuing consolidation among the quoted housebuilders is again in evidence in the latest quarterly survey of &amp;“who&amp;’s building where&amp;” from Emap Glenigan.<p></p><p>Wimpey&amp;’s take-over of Alfred McAlpine&amp;’s housebuilding division in August returns the company to its position as the industry&amp;’s biggest builder in terms of volume.</p><p>One of the reasons behind the &amp;£461 million take-over was to boost Wimpey&amp;’s presence in south east England as chief executive Peter Johnson explained: &amp;“It will enhance our geographical and product positioning and will increase the size and quality of our landbank.&amp;”</p><p>This strategy is reflected in the study, which is carried out exclusively for HouseBuilder and covers the year up to the end of September 2001.</p><p>All the planning applications submitted by Alfred McAlpine now come under Wimpey and the survey shows the combined business submitted 25 applications in the south east England for 1,856 units.</p><p>This moves Wimpey up two places into second but Barratt remains in pole position. In London in the 12 months to June 2001, Wimpey was third but, despite the McAlpine take-over, a rash of applications from rival housebuilders moves …