Gleeson hails partnerships success while posting pre-tax loss
Gleeson aims to “accelerate” its partnerships division but this will not become its whole business, according to ceo Graham Prothero. Speaking to Housebuilder as the company announced its full year results today (September 15), including a group pre-tax loss of £2.7 million, Prothero said partnerships were likely to represent 20% of the business.
Berkeley urges stamp duty reform
Stamp duty needs “urgent reform”, according to Berkeley Group, with the housebuilder calling on “targeted intervention” to aid the new build homes market. In a trading update, the business said stamp duty tax was now a “binding constraint” as interest rates were no longer at the low levels of when the current regime was introduced.
“Slim chance” govt will reach homes target – Rayner
There is now only a “slim chance” the government will deliver on its target of 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament, according to housing secretary Angela Rayner. Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Rayner conceded that the “headwinds” of geopolitical events and construction costs “are having a negative effect on that target”.
New home owners face decade-long waits for road adoption - HBF
Communities are waiting up to 12 years for roads serving new housing developments to be adopted by local authorities, according to new research from the Home Builders Federation.
HBF Planning Conference tackles system change and challenges
Housebuilders’ experience of the planning system may not be “matching up” with the government’s ambitions, it has acknowledged, according to Manuela Solera-Deuchar, MHCLG’s planning director. Speaking at the Home Builders Federation’s Planning Conference in Birmingham, Solera-Deuchar told delegates that ministers “understand that what we experience in Whitehall may not be what you experience”, with the government keen to work with the industry to address this.
Local govt reorganisation plans paused
The government has announced it will review its plans for local government reorganisation after receiving legal advice. Housing secretary Angela Rayner stated in parliament that ministers had withdrawn reorganisation decisions on Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk to undertake the review.
Govt to set out “fiscal devolution” roadmap in Budget
The government will set out a “roadmap for fiscal devolution” in its Budget in October, the chancellor John Healey said today (September 7). In his first speech as chancellor, outlining his government’s plan for growth, Healey reiterated previous statements on devolution, including supporting “local leaders to deliver local growth” and generating “growth in every postcode”. Healey called fiscal devolution a "permanent transfer of power and resources" from Whitehall to English regions.
New town locations confirmed “by end of year” - Pennycook
The government will confirm the final locations of its new towns programme by the end of this year, according to housing minister Matthew Pennycook. At a House of Lords Built Environment Committee session on new towns, Pennycook answered questions on progress with the programme, following a consultation on a draft version which closed in May. The Committee also quizzed the housing minister on a possible “loss of momentum” with the initiative due to a change of prime minister and the announcement of other housing policies.
September issue of Housebuilder magazine out now
The September edition of Housebuilder is now out and available to read on the www.house-builder.co.uk website. The latest issue features Housebuilder’s annual SWOT analysis - the views of an expert panel on the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats currently facing the industry. This year’s SWOT exposes the desperate state of some in the sector as consumer confidence nosedives and viability issues overwhelm.
