<p>Housebuilders are forecasting increased growth and investment in the sector despite the uncertainty following the EU vote and ongoing challenges with skills and planning.</p> <p>The second annual Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking report on the UK housebuilding sector analyses the state of the industry today and the opportunities and challenges it faces in the future.</p> <p>The report is the first in-depth study of the sector since the Brexit vote and more than a third of firms surveyed (36%) said that the uncertainty following the EU referendum result is the biggest challenge to their business. However the industry is relatively optimistic and is planning to grow, invest and create jobs.</p> <p>The research found that optimism about the future of the housebuilding industry has picked up slightly from 7.1 last year to 7.2 in 2016, where 10 represents the highest level of expectation.</p> <p>This outlook has given the industry the confidence to invest, with average five year investment plans up 17% year on year.</p> <p>Housebuilders are also confident about growth, with 42% of respondents saying that their growth forecasts had improved since the EU vote, compared with 27% who said they had declined. They are now predicting an average growth of 28% over …