HBF launches ninth cohort of Women into Home Building
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has opened submissions for the ninth cohort of its Women into Home Building programme, which recently won an award at the Women in Housing and Housing Heroes Awards 2026. The programme, which supports women into site management careers in housebuilding, is being delivered with Pathway CTM in partnership with national and regional housebuilders. Women are encouraged to apply to the fully funded three-week initiative which begins with one week of online training and industry insight sessions, followed by a two-week work experience placement on site.
Planning permissions continue to fall – HBF/Glenigan
Planning permissions for new sites fell to a “new low” in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Home Builders Federation, with consents for new homes during the past 12 months reaching only 58% of the government’s annual target. HBF’s latest Housing Pipeline report, based on data from Glenigan, reveals that in Q1 2026, only 1,220 sites for private housing achieved planning approval across England, the lowest since the series began in 2006. This compares to around 2,000 in 2022 and almost 3,000 in 2017.
Avant Homes agrees deal to defer fire safety payments
Avant Homes has finalised an agreement with the government to postpone its building safety payments. In its financial results covering the 52 weeks to June 30 2025, the housebuilder said it had completed a payment plan agreement with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) relating to its obligations under the Developer Remediation Contract (DRC) in England. This means Avant is no longer expected to undertake or procure works to remediate buildings for which it is responsible under the DRC.
Future Homes Hub updates Whole Life Carbon Conventions
The Future Homes Hub has updated its Whole Life Carbon Conventions to introduce assessments beyond plot boundaries. In a key change, the new Whole Life Carbon Conventions for New Homes adds assessments for roads, utilities and associated works beyond the plot boundary, to overcome the “data block hole” of site infrastructure, aiding the industry in reducing the embodied carbon emissions of new homes developments, the Hub said. The 2026 up
Homes England chair’s tenure extended
Pat Ritchie, chair of Homes England, has had her tenure extended by six months to ensure “continuity of experienced leadership for the Homes England board”, according to the organisation. Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has granted the extension to the end of April 2027. Ritchie, former ceo of Homes England’s predecessor the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), was announced interim chair in April 2025. She was selected to lead the government’s housing and regeneration agency for “up to” 18 months.
Bellway’s completions up 10.8%
Bellway’s completions rose 10.8% during its financial year against 2025, above its previously guided range. At the same time, the housebuilder is calling upon the government to “act now” to aid the housing market including through a change to stamp duty, with the near-term outlook remaining “uncertain”. Giving a trading update for the year ending July 31 2026, Bellway said its housing completions during the period totalled 9,695 homes compared to last year’s 8,749, “in excess of” the previously guided range of 9,300 to 9,500 and driven by “a strong conversion from our bulk sales pipeline”.
Persimmon’s completions and profit up
Persimmon’s completions and underlying operating profit grew in its half year, while in recent weeks, open market sales have “softened”. Announcing its results for the six months to June 30 2026 today (August 6), the volume housebuilder said it had increased its market share with new completions up 13% against H1 2025 to 5,189, at an average sales price of £285,752, slightly up on last year’s £284,047.
HBF Technical Conference – early booking ends on August 14
Early booking rates are available until August 14 for the HBF Technical Conference, the key event for technical professionals within the housebuilding industry, taking place next month. With the Future Homes Standard now published and new standards and environmental demands impacting the industry, the HBF Technical Conference, taking place on September 10 2026 at Austin Court, Birmingham, will examine the details of what are significant changes to the technical demands on housebuilders.
