HBF’s SME survey open for responses

HBF has launched its 2024 SME home builder survey, in partnership with Close Brothers Property Finance and Travis Perkins.

Now in its fifth year, the 2024 State of Play survey will once again create a comprehensive study of SME housebuilders to produce the next SME State of Play report. This analyses the opportunities and challenges that small and medium housebuilders face.

The 2023/24 State of Play report, published in January, revealed that 93% of SMEs cited delays in securing planning permission as a major growth barrier. It also found that:

• 91% said that under resourced planning departments were hindering SME home builders' growth.
• 46% reported that the cost of obtaining planning permission had increased by more than 30% in the past three years. This was before December’s planning fee rises.
• 72% claimed interest rate rises had been a significant obstacle in the past year.
• Only 13% believed that the government’s current approach to housing and planning was positive for first-time buyers, down from 39% in 2022.

With a general election now just weeks away, HBF is seeking opinions through its SME survey on which policy areas of housing delivery the next government should prioritise.

The …