Latest News

The latest news, features, comment and analysis of the UK housebuilding market covering policy, regulation, planning, technology, new developments and products

Civic’s shortlist

1 Mar 2004

Greenwich Millenium Village, BedZED and Manchester’s Millennium Quarter are in the running to add to their trophy shelves, having been shortlisted in this year’s prestigious Civic Trust Awards.

Elite will travel for dream home

1 Mar 2004

Prime residential property buyers are prepared to move long distances for their dream home, a survey by FPDSavills has revealed.

Fairview snaps up Rialto

1 Mar 2004

The latest series of industry mergers has seen Fairview New Homes buy Hertfordshire-based Rialto for £60 million, and Allison Homes - part of the Kier Group - acquire Holbeach-based Tudor Homes just a few days later.

Housing Forum set to tackle skills crisis

1 Mar 2004

The Housing Forum has taken up the challenge of the acute skills shortage in the housebuilding sector, tackling the issue in a major new report which recommends that housing construction organisations need to examine their recruitment, retention and train

Persimmon spree

1 Mar 2004

Persimmon Homes West Yorkshire has acquired a total of 31 acres across the region in a site-buying spree, which leaves them with four sites with a gross development value of £45 million.

Site visitor numbers soar

1 Mar 2004

Housebuilders will be cheered by the biggest boom in site visitors seen for some time with a balance of + 23% seeing an increase in Jan/Feb, according to the latest HBF survey.

Planning powers for regional assemblies

1 Mar 2004

Elected regional assemblies have been given a power boost - they will now have authority to direct local authorities to refuse planning applications that are “not in the region’s best interest”,

in the pipeline

1 Mar 2004

Gleeson Homes has been successful in its bid for further housing in Basingstoke. The company received detailed planning permission for a proposal of private and social housing at Binfields, Chineham.

CABE boss quits to join Housing Corp

1 Mar 2004

Jon Rouse has been appointed chief executive of the Housing Corporation and will step into the role from April, bringing to an end a high profile four-year reign at the helm of government design watchdog CABE. Rouse takes over from Norman Perry who will b

Time to redouble efforts on customer care

1 Mar 2004

The Housing Forum tried to put a positive spin on the disappointing results of its latest National Customer Satisfaction Survey (see pages 20-22). The press release that accompanied the survey details was a masterpiece in missing the point and a tribute t