The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has launched a market study into the UK housebuilding industry. The OFT will consider the potential competition and consumer concerns within the market and will focus on two principal areas:<br>Delivery of housing – whether land suitable for development is being effectively brought through to the planning approval stage and whether land with planning permission is being converted effectively into homes. Customer satisfaction – the homebuyer’s satisfaction with the properties available.The study will not look at the overall question of where development should occur or the environmental impact of new homes. OFT chief executive John Fingleton said: “This [housebuilding] is a hugely important market for the economy because of its substantial economic impact and because unresponsive housing supply hinders labour mobility, constrains economic growth and harms consumers.”He added: “The study will examine how regulation and competition in the market might work better for both the economy and individual house buyers.” <br>